http://livewire.amnesty.org
By Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International’s Researcher on Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam
It was hot – very hot – as I arrived last week at Mam Sonando’s home
and radio station on a dusty street in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh.
He welcomed me at the front door. “Thank you,” he said. With a broad
smile, he flashed his signature ‘V for victory’ sign with his right
hand. After over eight months in prison, he was free and no longer
facing 20 years behind bars.
Prisoner of Conscience
Mam Sonando, 72, is a well-known and popular journalist. He owns
Beehive Radio, one of Cambodia’s few independent radio stations. And he
heads the Association of Democrats, which promotes human rights and
democracy and helps poor communities.
On 11 September 2012, his trial began at the Phnom Penh Municipal
Court. He had been arrested two months earlier after Cambodia’s Prime
Minister accused him publicly of being behind a plot for a village in
eastern Cambodia to secede – to break away from the country.
In fact, the villagers there had been involved in a long-running land
conflict with a powerful company, and the so-called secession plot was
used as a pretext to forcibly evict them.
And Mam Sonando’s arrest followed his report broadcast on Beehive
Radio about a complaint at the International Criminal Court, which
accuses Cambodia’s government of displacing thousands of people through
forced evictions.
Along with six other defendants, Sonando was charged with anti-state
crimes. I attended the four-day hearing in the packed courtroom, along
with his family and supporters, human rights workers, diplomats and
journalists. No evidence was presented that proved he had done anything
wrong.
So when the verdicts were announced on 1 October 2012, there was
shock and disbelief. Mam Sonando was found guilty and sentenced to 20
years’ imprisonment for “instigating insurrection” and other offences.
Mam Sonando told me: “In prison, I thought of the people who love and
missed me, including those I had helped through my association. I
missed them so much. I love them and I wanted to hug them. They are all I
care about,” he said.
Amnesty International recognized Mam Sonando as a prisoner of
conscience, imprisoned for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom
of expression.
We joined others in Cambodia and abroad to campaign for his release.
Members responded to Urgent Actions and appealed to Cambodia’s
government. We asked foreign governments to raise the case with
Cambodia, and we made it the focus of our advocacy when US President
Barack Obama and other leaders visited Cambodia for the ASEAN and East
Asia summits in November 2012.
Release
The widespread condemnation was heard. On 14 March 2013, Cambodia’s
appeals court overturned the most serious anti-state convictions and
two-decade sentence against Mam Sonando. Instead, he was given a
five-year prison sentence for forestry offences. He had already been in
prison for eight months and the rest of his sentence was suspended.
“To hear supporters outside the courtroom and to see supporters
inside, including human rights organizations and diplomats, gave me such
encouragement. They were supporting democracy and human rights, not
just me,” Mam Sonando told me.
“I want to thank everyone for joining together for my release. Thank
you to Amnesty International’s members for protecting my freedom.”
Mam Sonando was released from Phnom Penh’s Prey Sar prison on 15
March. He was met by around 1,000 jubilant supports, who lifted him up
on a throne-like chair and marched him to freedom in a colourful
procession.
“The nightmare of being falsely accused and imprisoned had turned
into a wonderful dream; bad to good, where I could see into the people’s
hearts and the world caring about justice.”
Looking forward
Would he appeal the decision to uphold some of the convictions against him, and the new conviction for forestry offences?
“I did nothing wrong and I will definitely appeal. I cannot just drop
it. I have to find justice. I am not guilty and I have to set an
example,” he said.
“My goal remains the same: democracy and respect for human rights in
Cambodia. My case has become a symbol of unity to strengthen democracy,
rule of law and human rights in Cambodia.”
And he plans to continue leading Beehive Radio and the Association of Democrats.
“There are big problems in Cambodia; very serious problems. Raising
awareness about democracy and human rights is the key to solving these
problems.”
Towards the end of our meeting, I asked whether he would change things, whether he would go through it all over again?
“Of course! Life is not worth living unless you’re willing to
sacrifice it for others. I had to stand up, or others would suffer the
same tragedy.”
Indeed, while Mam Sonando’s release is a step in the right direction
for freedom of expression in Cambodia, others in the country are
suffering similar tragedies.
Housing rights activist Yorm Bopha is serving a three-year prison
sentence after being convicted on 27 December 2012 on trumped-up charges
of “intentional violence.” And Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun are
serving 20-year sentences as scapegoats for the killing of prominent
trade union leader Chea Vichea in 2004, while the real killers have
never faced justice.
Amnesty International will campaign for their release too.
Read more:
Cambodia: Journalist’s release from prison a step in the right direction (News story, 14 March 2013)
1 comment:
happy new year Sir Mam sonondo,may god bless and your families.You're my hero,you're virak borus Khmer pit prakot man! Thank god Cambodia has a man like you.I admired you very much....I'm praying for you to have a good health and healthy live long life....
Kmenhwatt
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