Judge views Ricketson’s filmography

THE trial of Australian filmmaker James Ricketson continued on Friday with information coming to light about the funding for his film projects in the Kingdom.

Ricketson, who has been in jail for almost 15 months, was arrested on espionage charges for flying a drone over an opposition political rally in Phnom Penh. Authorities claimed the information collected could jeopardise national defense. Little evidence has been presented to back up the charges, however.

Taking the stand late last week, Ricketson was asked about his Cambodia-based films by his defence attorney, Kong Sam Onn.

The 69-year-old stated that much of his work in the Kingdom was funded by Screen Australia, which is a government body which promotes film showing real people in their cultures. Sam Onn exhibited a list of Ricketson’s films in Cambodia that were funded by Screen Australia.

“The list of films proves that I am a filmmaker, not a spy,” Ricketson said. “If Australia provided me funds for producing these films, what country I am spying for?”

At the end of the hearing, Ricketson mentioned that he would be sending two letters, one to the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, and another one to the US embassy in Phnom Penh.

The trial is set to reconvene on Monday.