Student activist flees

LENG Seng Hong, the head of the Federation of Cambodian Intellectuals and Students, said he will not appear for questioning at National Police headquarters today and has instead fled the country after he was summoned in late October for calling for peaceful demonstrations against the dissolution of the CNRP.

“I do not believe in the court, that it can provide me with justice, so I will not give testimony . . . and I decided to flee abroad to find a safe place,” Seng Hong said.

The student group leader was issued a summons by court prosecutor Sieng Sok on October 27 to appear for questioning before the Interior Ministry’s Internal Security Department for “inciting to commit a felony” after he called for a peaceful demonstration in a letter posted to Facebook. It was unclear which “felony” he was encouraging others to commit, as the right to peaceful demonstration is protected by the Constitution.

On October 31, the Interior Ministry suspended Seng Hong’s organisation for 60 days, alleging that it had violated the widely criticsed Law on Associations and NGOs and its controversial “neutrality” requirement. Seng Hong maintained his group was politically neutral and was created in 2008 to debate social issues.

Neither prosecutor Sieng Sok nor Municipal Court spokesman Ly Sophanna could be reached for comment.

“I still keep my stand and do not recognise Hun Sen’s government if there is no CNRP in [the] 2018 [national election],” Seng Hong said yesterday.