Rainsy, two FB admins given five year sentence
its Kangaroo Court, Cambodia is a sadly unique country where innocents are prosecuted and persecuted while criminals walk free with total impunity,” he wrote.
In an email prior to the decision, Rainsy appeared to distance himself from Sok Hour.
“When Hong Sok Hour’s incriminat[ing] document was posted – and deleted a few hours later – on 11 August 2015, I was traveling in the USA and came back to Cambodia only five days later without having been personally involved in the concerned post,” he wrote.
“[But] I want to show my solidarity towards him and my other CNRP colleagues because I want to promote freedom of expression that exists in any democratic society,” Rainsy later told The Post.
Rainsy added that the jail terms would only encourage him to “fight harder” during the 2017 and 2018 elections.
Rainsy’s defence lawyer, Sam Sokong, who was not present in the courtroom for the verdict, said the decision was unacceptable and he would appeal it in January.
Political analyst Ou Virak, meanwhile, said the court’s decision was likely part of a wider plan to politically corner Rainsy ahead of the national election in 2018.
“It does not matter how heavy the punishment is since he is abroad, but if he wants to participate in the political competition, he needs a pardon first,” Virak said.
“This decision is putting more pressure on Sam Rainsy to prevent him from returning to Cambodia, except through political negotiations where he is offered a pardon.”
Rainsy was also found guilty of defamation last month over statements he made accusing Prime Minister Hun Sen of purchasing “fake” Facebook likes. He initially fled the country in November of 2015 to avoid arrest over a 7-year-old defamation case brought by former Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.
His self-exile was later made official by a seemingly unconstitutional government order forbidding his return.
Ministry of Justice spokesman Chin Malin yesterday said the trio had the chance to appeal, but if they did not, the government would seek the extradition of Satya and Chong Leang from France to serve out their sentences.
Malin added that Rainsy was a French citizen and therefore could not be extradited.