In Closing Arguments, Gov’t Says It Will Sue Kem Sokha

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Kem Sokha leaves the Phnom Penh Municipal Court after a morning session of closing arguments on December 21, 2022. (Hean Rangsey/VOD)
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Closing arguments commenced in the Kem Sokha treason trial on Wednesday, with government lawyers indicating that they will file a civil suit for damages against the opposition leader at the end of the criminal case.

Sokha, who was the president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, is being tried for treason for allegedly attempting to mount a color revolution in the country to overthrow the Cambodian People’s Party government. He faces life in prison if found guilty.

Since the trial began in January 2020, the trial has meandered and was repeatedly delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The closing arguments seem to signal a potential end to the prolonged case.

Government lawyers Ky Tech, Ly Chantola, Cheng Penghap and Sann Chuoy took turns over three and half hours this morning to point to the legal provisions in the law and evidence presented during the trial to ask the panel of judges for “serious punishment” against Sokha.

The lawyers were careful not to use the names of countries or international institutions when linking them to Sokha, using a list of Khmer-language letters assigned for each mentioned person, organization or country.

This system was discussed in the early hearings of the trial but no official list was released to reporters, making it hard to understand some of the references to countries made in the court.

Tech, in the last five minutes of his presentation, announced that the civil party, which is the government in this case, would file a civil suit against Sokha to recoup damages from the opposition leader. Tech refused to tell reporters how much in damages the government would claim, only that it would come after the criminal proceedings.

The government submitted an 86-page document with its closing arguments to the court on Tuesday.

During the trial, evidence, videos and photos have been presented from violent clashes between government forces and garment workers, which caused considerable damage in Phnom Penh’s Veng Sreng Boulevard and other parts of the capital.

The hearing will resume in the afternoon with the defense and prosecution expected to finish their closing arguments today.

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