Kem Sokha evades questions on ‘spies and diplomats’ during trial


Buth Reaksmey Kongkea 

Kem Sokha, the former president of the court-dissolved Cambodian National Rescued Party (CNRP), declined to answer questions on ‘foreign spies and friendly diplomats’ who allegedly helped him, as he stood trial before the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday. 

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday continued the hearing in the case in which Sokha was accused of allegedly conspiring with foreign states and agents in order to overthrow the Cambodian government between 1993 and 2017. 

During yesterday’s hearing, Sokha refused to name the Western ambassador who he had allegedly met after the CNRP’s sit-in demonstration held at the Freedom Park at Daun Penh in Phnom Penh in July 2013. 

The prosecutors also showed Sokha a video clip of a training session on how to organise peaceful demonstrations which was conducted by then vice-president Sokha and Sam Rainsy, then president of CNRP that was attended by 500 people at the Freedom Park in Daun Penh district, on 7 July 2013. 

The video also showed two western men assisting Sokha and Sokha in training the them to peacefully engage with the authorities, police forces and the armed forces. 

The prosecutors asked Sokha to explain about the objective of the training and also asked him to identify the two foreign trainers whom the prosecutors suspected that they were the foreign spies or were hired by Sokha [CNRP] to help in preparing the plot or strategy to overthrow the government via the mass demonstration. 

However, Sokha said that he did not know the two foreigners and said, “I would request the right not to answer the prosecutors’ questions because they had been asking me the same questions, again and again”. 

However, Sokha admitted that the sole purpose of the mass demonstrations in 2013 was to change the government through undemocratic ways, and to have the free and fair election through non-violence.

Deputy Prosecutor Plong Sophal said that Sokha’s denial deprives him of the opportunity to find truth and justice for himself.

“Although he has declined to answer the questions, the prosecutors have enough evidence to prove that he is guilty based on a 2013 video clip in which he was heard saying to the party supporters in Australia about the plans to topple the government,” Sophal added. 

One of Kem Sokha’s defence lawyers, Chan Cheng said that meetings with a foreign diplomat was not wrong or against the laws because all the foreign diplomats residing in Cambodia are friends of Cambodia. 

“The prosecutors are trying to blame my client for everything that had happened. This situation is like – eating noodles together at a table, but let Kem Sokha pay for it alone,” said Cheng yesterday. 

Sokha, 67, was arrested on September 3, 2017 and charged with ‘Conspiracy with Foreign Power’ under Article 443 of the criminal code. 

If convicted, he would face 15 to 30 years in prison. The trial will continue on July 20.




 

 

 

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