The Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC), is pleased to inform the public, that three current ADHOC staff members, Mr. Ny Sokha, Mr. Yi Soksan and Mrs. Lim Mony, and two former ADHOC staff members, Mr. Nay Vanda and Mr. Ny Charya, will appear before the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal on morning 25 March 2022 to contest their 2018 convictions.
The case:
On 27 April 2016, the Anti-Corruption Unit arrested the aforementioned persons, alleging that four of them had ‘bribed a witness’ (Article 548 of the Criminal Code) and that one had assisted as an accomplice (Articles 28 and 548 of the Criminal Code).
On 1 May 2016, the investigating judge of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court committed the 5 human rights defenders to pre-trial detention at Prey Sa prison ‘M1.’ The 5 ADHOC staff members’ detention lasted 427 days until they were released on bail when the case was forwarded to trial on 29 June 2017.
On 26 September 2018, the Court issued its decision, finding all five defendants guilty of the charges against them and sentencing them to five years imprisonment each. The Court considered the 14 months spent in pre-trial detention as time served, and suspended the remainder of their sentences. The convicted persons submitted their appeal of the judgment on 23 October 2018.
According to the ADHOC staff members concerned, their convictions were not only unjust, but have had a lasting impact on their human dignity and their ability to exercise their rights and freedoms.
Commencing the morning of 25 March 2022, ADHOC invites the national and international media, representatives of embassies and UN agencies in Cambodia, and international civil society to monitor and conduct follow-up of these appeal proceedings, and to advocate for international fair trial and due process standards to be respected throughout.
For more detailed information, please contact:
- Seung Senkaruna: (855)86 342 666
- Phin Savey : (855)86 381 666
