via CAAI
Published: 6/01/2011
A Phnom Penh court has finished the preliminary questioning of Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth and two other members of his team also arrested on the border, foreign minister's secretary to Chavanond Intarakomalyasut said on Thursday afternoon.
Yellow-shirt activist Veera Somkwamkid (left), Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth and five other detained Thais were escorted by Cambodian security personnel to attend the first hearing at the Phnom Penh Court of First Instance on Jan 5. They were arrested by Cambodian troops for intruding into Cambodian soil on Dec 29.
Seven Thais were arrested on Dec 29 and charged with illegal entry and trespassing on a restricted military zone in Cambodia.
They were taken from Prey Sor prison to the court on Thursday morning when the questioning of the defendants began.
The court examined the defendants individually, and had finished questioning of Mr Panich and two Thai women on the team, Mr Chavanond said.
Mr Chavanond said he did not expect the court to deliver a verdict today. There would be a long holiday starting tomorrow in Cambodia, so when the verdict would be given was not known.
Relatives of the defendants, reporters and Thai embassy officials were not allowed inside the courtroom.
The relatives returned to a hotel after seeing them arrive at the court.
Mr Panich and the others, including Veera Somkwamkid, a former leader of the yellow-shirt People’s Alliance for Democracy, were charged last week with illegal entry and unlawfully entering a military area, offences that carry a combined maximum sentence of 18 months in prison.
The group were arrested near a military encampment in Banteay Meanchey’s O’Chrou district while attempting to “investigate” the contentious border demarcation process between Thailand and Cambodia.
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