An expert police witness was questioned at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Wednesday about extracting contacts’ numbers, photos, social media account details, voice messages and more from the phones of defendants in an incitement trial against unionist Rong Chhun and two supporters.
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Wednesday sentenced the leader of the minor Khmer Win Party to 20 months in prison for incitement after he protested last year in support of jailed unionist Rong Chhun and visited the Vietnam border area that Chhun claimed was under threat.
Another tense hearing in the trial of prominent unionist Rong Chhun saw two supporters, who are also defendants, arguing they are merely a market vendor and tuk-tuk driver and not political activists despite participating in protests.
Defense and government lawyers, and even the judge, exchanged fiery accusations over alleged prejudgement, criminal intentions, lack of evidence and use of a controversial ethnic slur in a tense first trial hearing against labor leader Rong Chhun on Friday.
Thai authorities have informed Cambodian authorities of a plan to suspend the entry and exit of goods into Rong Kluea market near the Cambodian border starting this weekend, citing Covid-19 precautions as the disease spreads in Thailand.
About 100 poor families living along the Thai border say they have no interest in leaving to make way for a development, demanding $100,000 each in compensation and protesting against court summonses for three representatives.
Prominent unionist Rong Chhun, whose July arrest over comments he made about the Vietnam border sparked a series of protests, on Wednesday appealed for bail in the Supreme Court, but was shut down by judges for asking the court to “not be politically influenced.”
Jailed unionist Rong Chhunn had “intent to incite social disorder” by releasing statements containing fabrications about the Cambodia-Vietnam border demarcation, the government told the U.N.’s human rights office in response to questions about his arrest.
Tbong Khmum police brought in three residents for questioning on Saturday over a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan: “Thank you for peace, but respect Article 2 of the Constitution.”
Thailand plans to allow a group of 500 Cambodian workers to return to work legally in Thailand for the first time since borders were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, officials said on Tuesday.
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