Judiciary and courts

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday wrapped up its three-day trial of self-exiled Cambodian Sourn Serey Ratha and three others accused of colluding to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen, hearing hours of old statements from the dissident. Mr. Serey Ratha, president of ...

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has dismissed without any explanation a lawsuit filed by the Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM) after one of its reporters was viciously attacked by Daun Penh district security guards in May. Lay Samean, a 27-year-old reporter for CCIM’s Voice of ...

Phnom Penh Municipal Court will hear case of Freedom Park protest on December 25. Chuong Chou Ngy, defense lawyer of CNRP’s senior official Meach Sovannara who was arrested last month for his role in the protest and put in detention at Prey Sar prison, said Saturday ...

In a rare intervention, Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni has demanded an investigation over a Phnom Penh judge who interviewed an opposition party activist without his attorney being present. A lawmaker had complained to the King that Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge Keo Mony had questioned Ouch ...

Human rights group (LICADHO) has called for the release of 18 activists who have been wrongfully imprisoned following a recent spate of arrests as Cambodia will celebrate International Human Rights Day on December 10th. In a statement issued today [Monday], the right group also condemns the ...

The Kratie Provincial Court has freed on bail two of three men arrested for the October slaying of 49-year-old reporter Taing Try after the third man told the court that he carried out the murder on his own, the court’s chief prosecutor said Sunday. Taing Try, ...

A London court on Friday convicted three British men of conspiracy to commit fraud following an investigation by the U.K.’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into a British biofuel firm that swindled investors in its Cambodian venture. Gary West, the former director of Sustainable Agro Energy (SAE); James ...

A Tuol Kork resident arrested last month following a complaint by a powerful businessman who wants his family’s land was released on bail yesterday. ...

Four bodyguards of the fugitive Thong Sarath were charged with intentional murder and conspiracy in the death of tycoon Ung Meng Cheu who was shot dead last month when he had stepped out of his vehicle. Seang Veasna, Ly Sao, Meas Sambath and Koy Chanthol were ...

A father and daughter, arrested last month following a complaint by a powerful landowner who wants their land in Phnom Penh, called on the tycoon to engage with them face to face in a courtroom hearing yesterday. ...

Eight land activists put in prison last month after a swift trial say they will hold a hunger strike if they are not released. The eight activists were part of a roundup in November for street protests against city officials and a development project at ...

National Election Committee (NEC) Secretary-General Tep Nytha said Wednesday that imprisoned CNRP official Meach Sovannara could be named as one of the opposition’s 55 lawmakers even though he stands charged with insurrection. Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said Friday that the CNRP would ask Yont Tharo, ...

An activist monk set to face trial today on widely disputed charges of incitement alongside a so-called “terrorist” leader vowed yesterday to use the hearing to preach to the judiciary. In a statement released Sunday, 16 NGOs called for authorities to drop the charges against ...

Rady Mom, Cambodian-American state representative in Massachusetts, U.S.A, was not allowed yesterday to meet with 17 activists who are currently being detained at Prey Sar prison. Rady Mom and his colleagues as well as Members of Parliament and Senators of opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party went ...

Hundreds of people gathered in Phnom Penh yesterday to mark the International Day to End Impunity, calling on the government to tackle the issue by reforming its court system. Speaking at the event at the capital’s Cambodiana Hotel, Preap Kol, executive director of Transparency International Cambodia, ...

A group of civil society organization has condemned recent arrest of two citizens who were involved in a land dispute with the Khun Sear Import Export company, and called on the government to release them and ensure the safety of their family. In a joint statement ...

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said Friday that the CNRP would attempt to secure the release of detained CNRP official Meach Sovan­nara by promoting him to become a lawmaker so that he can enjoy parliamentary immunity. Mr. Sovannara, the head of the CNRP’s information department, was arrested ...

A 24-year-old student was sentenced to 10 months in prison by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday for posting 14 nude photos of his girlfriend on Facebook in an attempt to extort money from her in exchange for deleting them. Presiding judge Mong Mony Sorphea said ...

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Thursday that he and his government have no rights to order the courts to arrest or release any suspects who have committed crimes. “I and the government have no rights to order the judiciary, the court to arrest anyone based ...

European diplomats called on Interior Minister Sar Kheng yesterday to express their concerns about the recent spate of activists’ arrests, with the minister reportedly saying that he believed a one-year sentence speedily handed down to seven Boeung Kak lake protesters last week was rather “heavy”. ...

Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong yesterday defended the independence of Cambodia’s judiciary following concerns raised by a UN official about the whirlwind imprisonment of 11 activists arrested for protesting last week. Kuong accused Surya Subedi, the UN’s special rapporteur for human rights, of making a habit ...

Despite opposition party hopes to the contrary, the Ministry of Justice yesterday rejected the idea that it could intervene in the court system to release Meach Sovannara, a Cambodia National Rescue Party official jailed last week. According to ministry spokesman Kem Santepheap, a letter from CNRP ...

King Norodom Sihamoni officially appointed new members to the judicial body that oversees the Kingdom’s judges and prosecutors last week, following the passing of a controversial law earlier this year outlining its organisation and functioning. According to a Royal Decree that was signed Thursday by the ...

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng received a letter from Sam Rainsy who called for the release of Meach Sovannara, head of CNRP’s information and media department, and will send the letter to the Ministry of Justice, a senior official said Friday. ...