Mech Dara | Publication date 10 January 2018 | 17:06 ICT
p
Outspoken political analyst Kim Sok leaves the Supreme Court this morning, where he was denied early release from an 18-month prison sentence. Pha Lina
Outspoken government critic Kim Sok was rejected bail at the Supreme Court this morning, with the prosecutor arguing that to grant Sok early release from an 18-month prison sentence would cause “chaos” in society.
Sok was arrested in February last year on charges of defamation and incitement for suggesting that Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling party was behind the brazen daylight murder of popular political analyst Kem Ley. He was convicted in August of "incitement" and defamation, but was seeking release on bail pending the exhaustion of his appeal, which is currently before the Supreme Court.
“I filed the [bail request] to the Supreme Court because it is an injustice; also Prime Minister Hun Sen has been using his power and his officials to put me in a dark prison,” Sok said.
He alleged his rights had been violated in prison, namely that he had received beatings and death threats, and said if released he would not flee but would gather evidence to challenge his conviction.
“I will not run, I will fight the case,” he said.
Supreme Court Prosecutor Chan Dara Rasmey urged the court to deny Sok’s request, “for the sake of society, for the sake of the public and for the sake of Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen".
Political analyst Kim Sok walks with Buddhist monks to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in February where he was arrested for defamation and inciting unrest. Heng Chivoan
Presiding Judge Kim Sothavy decided to uphold the municipal and Appeal Court decisions, citing legal “procedures”, and adding “the request for bail is unimportant because the court has already sentenced him to 18 months”.
Cambodian People's Party lawyer Ky Tech yesterday applauded the decision of the Supreme Court, adding that a second incitement and defamation case against Sok – ironically brought after he tried to walk back his earlier comments – had been filed by Hun Sen and was still under legal consideration.
Tech said Sok was “confrontational”, refused to listen to the judge and insulted the court.
“If he is released on bail, crimes will happen all over the place because he does not listen to anybody,” Tech said. “He caused chaos and inflamed the anger of the people against the [ruling Cambodian People's Party].”
After he was refused bail, Sok accused the court of being the premier’s pawn.
“The court is just a rubber stamp for Hun Sen … The court helps Hun Sen to jail democracy,” he said as he was handcuffed and led out of the court room.
2 comments:
TO SAVE CAMBODIA, KHMER PEOPLE MUST STOP THIS FAKE 2018 ELECTION
The hyena Hun Sen is simply a tool for the evil Yuon Vietnam to use to swallow Cambodia.
Khmer people, if they really love Cambodia, should step up their efforts and courage denouncing Ah Kwack Hun Sen's recent unconstitutional acts such as the dissolution of the CNRP.
To save Cambodia from Yuon's annexation, Khmer people need to take some concrete steps to prevent this one eye monster Hun Sen from stealing the election:
- Seven days before the 2018 election, Khmer people have to mount a nationwide peaceful protestation condemning the dissolution of the CNRP and firmly demand the REINSTATEMENT of the CNRP.
- Demand that all political prisoners who were wrongfully persecuted by Hun Sen must be
exonerated.
- Demand that the newly created party laws must be rescinded as well.
Notice that we start making the demonstration 7 days prior the election date and go on peacefully until the election day - MAKING THE ELECTION IMPOSSIBLE. We must have a rigid discipline to stay peaceful, bravely weathering Hun Sen's violent suppression. This is the right time to sacrifice our life to save Cambodia while the international community is ready to support our struggle for justice.
If there was no election, Hun Sen and his master Yuon, under heavy international pressure, will have no choice but to reinstate the CNRP so that it could participate in this upcoming election.
Nothing will drop from the sky to help us. We must exert our concert efforts to stop this illegitimate election from happening
Hun Sen is so cheap. He will grab the power after the election, no matter how low the people turn out at the polling stations.
So, if there is no CNRP, there will be NO ELECTION. Khmer people must make it happens: stop the election and force Hun Sen to reinstate the CNRP..
Bun Thoeun
Psychotic Hun Sen always uses the term "cause chaos in society" when accusing anyone he dislikes. The truth and the matter is, he's the one who always causes chaos in Cambodian society. He threatens people, he puts people in jail and he kills people. Always talks about 'color revolution' when there's none. Always scares people of war when nobody is fighting with him. Always accusing of his opponents of treason when he's the one who has commit all kinds of treason.
Post a Comment