Cambodian Court Sentences Opposition Leader to Jail

http://english.ntdtv.com/

via CAAI

2010-09-23

Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday. But Rainsy is unlikely to actually end up behind bars because he’s living in exile in France.

Judges found him guilty of forging public documents and spreading false information that the country had lost some land to Vietnam.

But critics of the Cambodian government say the case was used to silence Rainsy, who is the government’s biggest opponent.

Rainsy has also been handed a two-year prison sentence in January for uprooting a post marking the border with Vietnam.

He was also ordered to pay the government a $1,200 fine and $14,000 in compensation.

The Sam Rainsy Party has accused the ruling Cambodian People's Party of interfering with the judicial process.

[Kong Bora, Opposition MP]:

"The court unjustly convicted Sam Rainsy. They convicted him by the order of the government leader and this court I call it the pig cage because when I come in I smell the pig's dung already."

Prosecutors say they are pleased with the court's decision.

[Ky Tech, Government Lawyer]:

"This verdict is acceptable and it gives justice to the government because the damage caused by Sam Rainsy's act is so heavy, especially as it affected the good relationship between Cambodia and Vietnam."

New York-based Human Rights Watch has accused the ruling People’s Party of using unwarranted legal action to silence its political opposition and peaceful critics.