Court of Appeal rejects Sokha’s appeal over restriction on visits


Buth Reaksmey Kongkea 

In the first appeal hearing that began yesterday, the Phnom Penh Appeal Court denied the request of Kem Sokha, the former CNRP leader under house arrest, to lift restrictions on visits from his family and friends, including foreigners. 

The Judges Council of the Phnom Penh Appeal Court yesterday began the appeal hearing of the former opposition leader under tight security, on the charge of “conspiring with foreign power” to overthrow the elected government between 1993 and 2017. 

The 70-year-old was sentenced by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on March 3 last year to 27 years in prison and also banned him from politics, following his arrest on September 3, 2017.   

The judges’ council members comprised Presiding Judge Im Vannak, judges Khun Sona and Ly Sokleng and two deputy prosecutors, I'm Saphan and Hean Rith, while veteran lawyers Ang Udom and Meng Sopheary, represented as Sokha’s defense lawyers.  

Lawyer Udom told reporters outside the court, “During the hearing, we, as the co-lawyers requested the judges’ council to fix the appeal hearing dates. The council said it will be held only nine times. We also asked the court not to restrict him from meeting with his lawyers, friends or foreigners if there is no order from the prosecutor. But the judges’ council of the Phnom Penh Appeal Court refuted it.”

 “We regret the decision of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court because the decision is not based on facts and the law,” he said, adding that the judges’ council did not question his client yesterday.  

The rest of the hearings will be conducted twice in a month, on Thursdays, between 8 and 11 am. 

The defense lawyer also said that two important witnesses, Kong Koam and Chhim Phalvorun, will be summoned for appeal hearing.  

After the court proceedings, Sokha was taken back to his home in Chbar Ampov district’s Prek Eng commune, to be placed under house arrest. 

The next hearing is scheduled on February 8.

 

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