Seng Theary makes visual point in court again


Buth Reaksmey Kongkea 

Seng Theary, an opposition activist charged with incitement, arrived at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday donned in a costume as a Chinese peasant after walking three hours to get there. 

Theary is the founding president of the Center for Cambodian Civic Education (CIVICUS) and founder of the Cambodian Center for Justice & Reconciliation (CCJR). 

Presiding Judge Ros Piseth said that Theary was charged with two counts of “incitement to commit a felony or cause social unrest and plotting” under Articles 494, 495 and 453 of the Criminal Code for her posts on Facebook in 2018 and 2019.

She faces between five and 10 years in prison. 

Judge Piseth said the court has shown Theary favor by granting her bail rather than detaining her while she is on trial for a criminal case. 

 However, he admonished her for creating difficulties during court hearings and even insulting Cambodia’s judiciary, daring to call the Supreme Court a “Ting Mong” (puppet). 

Theary, who dressed up as a traditional Chinese peasant wearing long braided hair at the back and black clothes, said that she raised more complaints to the judges’ council because her fundamental rights were violated by the Cambodian court.

 The hearing will continue on March 1. 

At yesterday’s trial, Theary alleged that the court violated the law by charging her without first summoning her for questioning or informing her of the charges in a timely manner, and not providing court documentation for yesterday’s hearing which would allow her to prepare a defence. 

When she asked the judge’s council to dismiss the case, Judge Piseth denied the request and continued the hearing. 

Judges’ Council member Sin Chakrya read Theary’s Facebook post dated October 1, 2019 that said: “Hun Sen regime is good at promoting only fake culture, the fake elections, and making fake history.”

 “Hun Sen and his children purchased fake doctorate degrees from foreign universities and a second type of degree to show off the Cambodian people and their supporters in the country,” Judge Chakrya continued. 

She added that Theary also incited people to wake up to go against the government and join with Sam Rainsy’s illegal movement aimed to overthrow the legal government. 

In response to the evidence, Theary denied the allegation, saying that she did not write the words but only shared Rainsy’s message. 

She admitted that she supported Rainsy’s November 9, 2019 repatriation plan and was against the dissolving of the former Cambodia National Rescue Party by the Supreme Court. 

“Every day, I always criticised by Cambodian leaders,” said Theary. “I dislike the government because it is a dictatorship government, is an unconstitutional and undemocratic regime and violated its citizens’ rights.”  


CAPTION: Opposition activist and Cambodian-US lawyer Seng Theary leaves the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on February 22, 2022.  By Buth Reaksmey Kongkea





 

 

 

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Laotian gets life for drug trafficking

Image
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has sentenced a Laotian drug trafficker to life imprisonment after the 42-year-old was convicted of trafficking about 7 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine. Presiding Judge Sin Sovannroath said Houa Choua was from Champasak province’s Moeung Khong district, Laos.     “The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has decided to sentence the accused Houa Choua to a life sentence and a fine of 100 million riels,” Judge Sovannroath said in his judgment yesterday.   He said that the accused was charged with “drug possessing, transport and trafficking” under Article 40 of Cambodian Law on Drugs Control and with “money Laundering” under Articles 38 of the Law on Anti-Money Laundering and Financing.   Judge Sovannroath stated that Houa Choua was arrested by police at a guesthouse in Por Senchey district’s Kakab commune on October 16, 2022, night.  Houa Choua was detained after he had transported the drugs by car from the Cambodia-Lao border in
Read more

Sorn Elit, the Tallest Cambodian Taekwando Champion

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA There are 18 Taekwondo fighters on the national team, according to Hem Samnang, Secretary General of the Cambodian Taekwondo Federation (CTF). He was speaking to The Southeast Asia Weekly on July 22. The Secretary General said that Sorn Elit, 22, is currently the best Taekwondo fighter in Cambodia. He has attended many competitions both at home and abroad and has achieved success in both fields. In 2008, he won the national heavyweight title in the Taekwondo championships. “I am very proud of Sorn Elit as he is the best fighter in Cambodia,” Samnang said. “I believe that he will continue to bring honor to the country, the sport and himself as he competes in still more competitions at home and in the international fighting arena. He is completely committed to his training schedule and is a credit to the sport.” The Secretary General said that to improve Elit’s skills, the CTF sent him to get Taekwondo training in South Korea over two weeks in 2007. The CTF plans
Read more

Chan Tra: Life of a Cambodian Traditional Tattoo Artist

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONGKEA Among tattooists in Cambodia, Chan Tra, 46, is the only tattoo artist to retain the ability to ink a wide range of subjects in different styles. His modern counterparts are limited in their repertoire in comparison. His subjects include the human form, birds and abstract patterns. Chan Tra is now an expert in drawing Ankor Wat on the skin of foreign clients, thus turning them into walking, talking promotional materials for Cambodia’s tourist sector. Chan Tra was born in 1963 in Sihanouk province and has two sons and one daughter. He is an orphaned and a Survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime. He lost his entire family during the years of terror between 1975 and 1979. “I have loved drawing and painting ever since I was a child and practised my art every day before the arrival of the Pol Pot regime. Consequently, I like the art of tattooing and it makes a solid source of income to keep my wife and kids happy,” he told The Southeast Asia Weekly during a personal i
Read more