Activist Yorm Bopha was sentenced to three years imprisonment (Photo: Jenny Holligan) |
“These shocking verdicts show why Cambodians have good reason not to trust their courts” - Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International's Cambodia researcher
Thu, 27/12/2012
Amnesty International
The fabricated charges
used to convict two housing rights activists in Phnom Penh’s Municipal
Court confirms the dire state of Cambodia’s justice system and rule of
law in the country, Amnesty International said today.
This morning, Yorm Bopha was sentenced to three years imprisonment for
‘intentional violence’, while late yesterday Tim Sakmony was found
guilty of making a false declaration and given a suspended prison
sentence. The charges in both cases are fabricated and no credible
evidence was presented at their trials.
“These shocking verdicts show why Cambodians have good reason not to
trust their courts,” said Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International’s
researcher on Cambodia.
“Amnesty International has designated Tim Sakmony and Yorm Bopha as
prisoners of conscience. They are being persecuted purely for their work
defending the rights of those in their communities who have lost their
houses through forced evictions.”
Yorm Bopha has actively defended the right to housing for her community
at Phnom Penh’s former Boeung Kak Lake, where some 20,000 people have
been forcibly evicted since 2008.
Tim Sakmony protested the violent forced eviction of 300 families in her
community in Phnom Penh’s Borei Keila in January 2012 and called for
provision of the alternative housing promised to them.
Cambodian justice experienced another setback today when the Appeals
Court upheld the 20-year sentences of Born Samnang and Sok Sam Ourn who
were convicted for the killing of trade union leader Cha Vichea in 2004
based on forced confessions.
“It is baffling how the Appeal Court could have arrived at its verdict
in the Chea Vichea case given the lack of any new evidence and the fact
that both of the accused have credible alibis,” said Abbott.
“The forced confession and intimidation of witnesses are indicative of a deeply flawed criminal investigation.”
“It is a travesty that these two men face a further 15 years in prison
for a crime they did not commit, while the killers of Chea Vichea are
still free.”
The three verdicts delivered in the past 24 hours come at the end of a terrible year for justice in Cambodia.
Just last week charges were inexplicably dropped against the former
governor of Bavet town in Svay Rieng province, accused of injuring three
women factory workers in a shooting in February.
An investigation into the killing of prominent environmental activist
Chut Wutty in April was dropped two months ago; while there has been no
investigation into the killing of a 14-year-old girl by security
officials in Pro Ma village, Kratie province, in May.
Meanwhile, prominent journalist and radio station owner Mam Sonando, a
prisoner of conscience sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment in October on
baseless allegations of "secession", is in jail waiting for his appeal
trial hearing to be scheduled.
“Contrary to upholding the rule of law, the Cambodian courts have been
piling one injustice on top of another and ensuring that impunity
rules,” said Abbott.
“Pressure from development partners and strong, urgent action by Cambodia’s government is needed to end this mockery of justice
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