Tuesday, 04 September 2012
By Meas Sokchea
Phnom Penh Post 
Girls hold photographs of imprisoned Beehive Radio director Mam Sondano
outside the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in July. Photograph: Heng
Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court had
summonsed 40 people to face charges and serve as witnesses in the trial
of jailed Beehive Radio director Mam Sonando, slated to begin next week,
a court official said yesterday.
According to deputy prosecutor Meas Chanpiseth, the summonses were issued last month calling on the host of participants to appear on Tuesday, September 11 to offer evidence – or, in some cases, to face accusations – relating to the alleged “secessionist” plot in Kratie province that Sonando has been accused of masterminding.
“In total, there are 40 people including witnesses [and accused men],” Chanpiseth said, declining to elaborate on how many of the 40 were witnesses, and how many were defendants.
Chanpiseth added that the presiding judge would determine how to handle the cases of those who failed to appear in court.
Sonando, who is also the president of the Association of Democrats, has been charged with four separate crimes related to his alleged attempt to foment a secessionist movement in Kratie.
Sonando has repeatedly denied such plans.
The government first levelled the accusations of secession in the wake of a forced land eviction at Kratie’s Pro Ma village, during which a 14-year-old girl was fatally shot by government soldiers.
Officials later described the eviction as a necessary “anti-secessionist” operation.
Sonando’s lawyer, Cambodian Defenders Project executive director Sok Sam Oeun, said yesterday he had heard that people were being summonsed, but their identities were not released.
Given the source of the summonses, he added, it was likely that the witnesses were being called to add weight to the prosecution’s claims.
“It’s based on the answers in the police report. It’s in the interest of those charging,” he said, noting that, nonetheless, statements given in court could sometimes differ from those given to police.
Sam Oeun said he had also requested that the court summons Association of Democrats deputy president Chea Bamrong, along with the association’s Kratie president and deputy president, Vech Kimchhorn and Kov Rithy, respectively.
When contacted yesterday, Chea Bamrong and Kov Rithy said that they were unsure whether they would appear in court, adding that it depended on the situation at that time.
According to deputy prosecutor Meas Chanpiseth, the summonses were issued last month calling on the host of participants to appear on Tuesday, September 11 to offer evidence – or, in some cases, to face accusations – relating to the alleged “secessionist” plot in Kratie province that Sonando has been accused of masterminding.
“In total, there are 40 people including witnesses [and accused men],” Chanpiseth said, declining to elaborate on how many of the 40 were witnesses, and how many were defendants.
Chanpiseth added that the presiding judge would determine how to handle the cases of those who failed to appear in court.
Sonando, who is also the president of the Association of Democrats, has been charged with four separate crimes related to his alleged attempt to foment a secessionist movement in Kratie.
Sonando has repeatedly denied such plans.
The government first levelled the accusations of secession in the wake of a forced land eviction at Kratie’s Pro Ma village, during which a 14-year-old girl was fatally shot by government soldiers.
Officials later described the eviction as a necessary “anti-secessionist” operation.
Sonando’s lawyer, Cambodian Defenders Project executive director Sok Sam Oeun, said yesterday he had heard that people were being summonsed, but their identities were not released.
Given the source of the summonses, he added, it was likely that the witnesses were being called to add weight to the prosecution’s claims.
“It’s based on the answers in the police report. It’s in the interest of those charging,” he said, noting that, nonetheless, statements given in court could sometimes differ from those given to police.
Sam Oeun said he had also requested that the court summons Association of Democrats deputy president Chea Bamrong, along with the association’s Kratie president and deputy president, Vech Kimchhorn and Kov Rithy, respectively.
When contacted yesterday, Chea Bamrong and Kov Rithy said that they were unsure whether they would appear in court, adding that it depended on the situation at that time.
To contact the reporter on this story: Meas Sokchea at sokchea.meas@phnompenhpost.com
5 comments:
Please do not use children as shield for whatever in this case. Involving children in whatever cause is shameful exploitation of children! Do they understand what Mam Sanando was doing? This should be strongly condemned!
Childrents come at their own free wills no one forces them to do anything.They know what is wrong and what's right,better than you the poster above....Cpp clans is condemned for putting Khmer's innocent in jail,let the quilty roamed freed to commited more crimes.
kids in Cambodia are so stupid being used by opposition party., as political tools.,
Int'l human rights activist should looks into this matter and prosecutes them without fail,,
5 September 2012 5:13 AM
You are good in creating enemies. Actually I am for the freedom of speech and democracy. I am not a CPP supporters and don't even live in Cambodia. Are you sure "Children come at their own free wills no one forces them to do anything"? Look at the face of the boy in the middle, I am sad to see sad face. You do not have the courage of your own opinion and need to hide behind children. Actually, people should be proud if convinced of their cause, especially something concerning free speech or democracy. But instead you need to hide behind children. That shows that you indeed weak and you are doing what ever needed to hide your face, even using children as human shield. That's called human right violation sir, children right is violated here. They should go to school and being protected. Instead you use them to protect you. Anyway, you do not win friends by accusing people that voiced concern about children. That said, I hope Mr. Sanado will be freed by the court, if there no proof of any wrong doing.
If Mom Sanando is inocent, he would be free. Why is CPP so scared of having Mom Sonando bailed out of the jail?
Only CPP dogs are stupid and believe every words Hun Sen say.
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