Tuesday, 1 March 2011

Cambodia court rejects opposition leader’s appeal

via CAAI

By AP News Mar 01, 2011

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s top court has rejected an appeal by the country’s exiled opposition leader, who was sentenced to two years in jail for uprooting border markers with Vietnam.

Sam Rainsy, who is living in exile in Paris, was convicted in January 2010 for leading a political protest to pull up the border markers to garner public support and boost his claim that Vietnam is encroaching on Cambodian territory.

Judge Khim Pon rejected his appeal Tuesday, saying the verdict reached earlier by a lower court was valid.

Rainsy was also sentenced separately last year to 10 years in prison for spreading false information about the border dispute.

Critics say the issue is an example of the intimidation of opponents by the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

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