Earlier this month, six young activists associated with advocacy group Mother Nature Cambodia were released on bail after spending up to 14 months in prison. Although nominally at liberty, their charges of conspiracy, insulting the monarchy, and incitement were upheld and they remain under strict court supervision. This week, their commitment was recognized when Mother […]
Cambodia Says Loopholes May Have Led to Oil Theft as NGOs Urge Probe — Radio Free Asia rfa.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rfa.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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A court in Cambodia has added new anti-government conspiracy charges against three environmental activists who already are serving jail terms of up to 20 months for incitement convictions, in a move that could keep them in prison for 10 years, their lawyer said Wednesday.
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court added the charges against Mother Nature Cambodia activists Long Kunthea, Phuon Keoraksmey, and Thun Ratha on Monday after investigation judge Im Vannak covertly brought each of them into the court for questioning without the presence of an attorney, said their lawyer Sam Chamroeun.
The trio now faces an additional sentence of at least 10 years each if convicted on the conspiracy charge.
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A Spanish environmentalist who led a campaign against a controversial dam project on Tuesday accused Cambodia’s courts of violating national and international law because judicial authorities plan to hold a case against him in absentia while he is prevented by the government from re-entering the country to stand trial.
Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson, the Khmer-speaking former director of the NGO Mother Nature Cambodia, was deported from the Southeast Asian nation in February 2015 following the government’s refusal to renew his visa.
Opposition groups and local NGOs said Gonzalez-Davidson was expelled for to prevent him from organizing further opposition to the planned Chhay Areng hydropower dam in Koh Kong province. The U.S. $400-million China-led project backed by a ruling Cambodian People’s Party lawmaker would have forced hundreds of ethnic minority families off of their ancestral land and destroyed the habitats of endangered animals, they said.
Groups call for the release of Mother Nature environmental activists globalvoices.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from globalvoices.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.