SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE OF ASSASSINATION OF PROMINENT CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT CRITIC SOUGHT FROM CHEVRON

១៦ ធ្នូ ២០១៦ / 16 December 2016 - New step in the investigation into Dr. Kem Ley's assassination (*)






សំណើរទៅតុលាការសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក ក្នុងរដ្ឋ California ស្នើឲ្យក្រុមហ៊ុនអាមេរិកាំង Chevron ផ្តល់វីដេអូ ដែលបានថតពីកាម៉េរ៉ាសុវត្ថិភាព ពេលដែលមានការធ្វើឃាតមកលើលោកបណ្ឌិត កែម ឡី នៅទីក្រុងភ្នំពេញ កាលពីថ្ងៃ ១០ កក្កដា ២០១៦។

(*) Application to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, asking Chevron Corporation to release its surveillance footage of the shooting death of Dr. Kem Ley.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE OF ASSASSINATION OF PROMINENT CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT CRITIC SOUGHT FROM CHEVRON
San Francisco, CA (December 15, 2016) –

Cambodian citizens who have submitted a communication to the International Criminal Court about the Cambodian government have filed an application to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, asking Chevron Corporation to release its surveillance footage of the shooting death of prominent Cambodian political analyst and government critic, Dr. Kem Ley. Dr. Ley was shot and killed on July 10, 2016 inside a Chevron owned Star Mart café in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Political opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who is facing defamation charges in response to his online comments linking the assassination to government officials, has asked for the video and other documents to defend against the charges. The other applicants are Cambodian citizens who have initiated a proceeding before the International Criminal Court alleging that Cambodian government officials have engaged in systematic political persecution, including the murder of political dissidents and activists, over the past decade.

Dr. Kem Ley was one of Cambodia’s most prominent and well-respected political analysts and a passionate advocate for human rights, democracy and social justice in Cambodia. Days before he was gunned down, Dr. Ley spoke on a radio talk show on popular broadcaster Radio Free Asia about a recent Global Witness report detailing the ruling family’s vast wealth and corporate holdings. He had also recently commented that he feared for his life as he became increasingly vocal in his criticisms of the government elite. Following his death, human rights organizations throughout Cambodia and abroad called for a transparent and independent investigation into the shooting, and raised concerns about government involvement.

The application is filed under 28 U.S.C. § 1782, which allows for parties to seek discovery from U.S. based entities and individuals in aid of foreign legal proceedings. The statute has been used heavily by Chevron in recent years, seeking everything from third party bank records to documentary film footage. The application filed today seeks surveillance footage both before and following the shooting, as well as communications between Caltex and Chevron employees and government officials.

Chevron Corporation’s headquarters are in San Ramon, California. The company owns and runs the Caltex gas stations and on-site Star Marts throughout Cambodia. The gas station at which Dr. Ley was killed is equipped with multiple video cameras. Human rights organizations and media sources have confirmed that Chevron has refused or ignored requests to release the footage to date.

Sam Rainsy FB