Rainsy, 2 others get five years
THE Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday sentenced exiled opposition president Sam Rainsy to five years in prison, along with two of his Facebook administrators, in what analysts called a politically motivated case designed to further cripple Rainsy’s chances in the next election.
Administrators Sambath Satya and Ueng Chong Leang, both in their early 20s, were found guilty of several charges stemming from a video clip, posted to Rainsy’s page, in which opposition Senator Hong Sok Hour presented a “fake” version of a 1979 treaty that purported to dissolve the border between Cambodia and Vietnam.
Sok Hour was last month sentenced to seven years in prison for forgery and incitement to commit a crime, whileRainsy,SatyaandChong Leang were yesterday found guilty as “accomplices”.
The three, who have all fled to France, were found guilty of “incitement to commit a felony or to disturb social security”, “participation in a conspiracy to commit offences” and “fraudulent modification of data”. However, presiding judge Leang Samnat said Satya’s and Chong Leang’s five-year sentences would amount to three years each, with two years suspended.
“We order the arrest of Sam Rainsy, Ueng Chong Leang and Sambath Satya to serve their sentences according to the verdict,” Samnat said.
Rainsy yesterday took to Facebook to air his grievances over the decision.
“Under Hun Sen’s repressive regime shamelessly using CONTINUED
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