Jailed Fishermen Released After Hun Sen Order

Within days of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s announced amnesty for those detained and jailed for fisheries crimes, the Ministry of Justice responded and has already freed dozens of suspects from provincial prisons around the country, judicial officials said yesterday. Independent analysts, however, said the order was unusual and showed just how much influence the system has over the justice system. They said canceling the unpopular fish crimes punishments was likely a bid to score political points in an election year. Siem Reap Provincial Court Prosecutor Ty Sovinthal said Justics Ministry Secretary of State Hy Sophea visited his province on Sunday – one day after Mr. Hun Sen’s speech announcing the amnesty – in order to instruct the prosecutor and the court to release all people detained for crimes involving fish. Mr. Sovinthal said he and the court promptly organized a mass “trial” yesterday, which found 17 poor fishermen not guilty and freed them from pretrial detention. …