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Outrage as Cambodian court convicts activists for inciting ‘social chaos’ by planning one-person march
by Gerald Flynn on 14 May 2021
On May 5, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court convicted and sentenced five activists from the environmental group Mother Nature Cambodia: Long Kunthea, Phuon Keoraksmey, Thun Ratha, Chea Kunthin and Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson.
The activists have been convicted of intending to cause “social chaos” by planning a protest of the government-sanctioned destruction of Phnom Penh’s lakes, which are being filled in for development. The planned one-person march never actually took place.
Kunthea and Keoraksmey were sentenced to 18 months in prison and Ratha received a 20-month sentence while Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson and Chea Kunthin were sentenced in absentia; each activist was also fined $1,000.
Prison, hidden, expelled: Repression of Cambodian Mother Nature Environmental News
Thun Rotha, who was arrested last year along with his two environmental activists, has barely seen a 14-month-old baby.
“Our son was arrested when he was six months old,” Roth’s wife Pat Raksmey told Al Jazeera.
“It’s the dirt campaign of the powerful. He hasn’t pushed anyone. He questions those in power. ”
Rotha is one of three members of the environmental NGO Mother Nature, who was arrested in 2020 after organizing a march on the home of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to express concern about the plan to fill and develop Lake Boeung Tamok in Phnom Penh. area.
Arrested last year with two of his fellow environmental activists, Thun Rotha has barely seen his baby who is now 14 months old.
“He was arrested when our son was six months old,” Rotha’s wife Pat Raksmey told Al Jazeera.
“It’s a smear campaign of the powerful. He has not incited anyone. He questions those who are in power.”
Rotha is one of three members of the environmental NGO Mother Nature who were arrested in 2020 after they organised a march to the house of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to express their concern about a plan to fill in Phnom Penh’s largest lake, Boeung Tamok and develop the site.