[Tlc] C-journalist freed

[justinm at ucr.edu]

FYI.
Thanks,
justin



Journalist Dam Sith freed: Hun Sen vouches for him

15 June 2008
By Duong Sokha et Stéphanie Gée
Ka-set
Unofficial translation from French by Tola Ek
http://ka-set.info/breves/breves/cambodge-actualite-dam-sith-presse-media-liberation-justice-psr-elections-legislatives-080615.html

At his exit from jail at 11:00 AM on Sunday 15 June, Dam Sith, the
editor-in-chief of the pro-Sam Rainsy Party Moneaksekar Khmer (Khmer
Conscience) newspaper, thanked "the embassies, the associations of
journalists, SRP MPs, and Sam Rainsy in particular, and Samdach Hun
Sen for their intervention in his release." Nevertheless, Dam Sith
insisted that he "maintains his position," and his position at the
head of his newspaper.

The news started to spread since Saturday evening in Phnom Penh. On
Saturday, Prime minister Hun Sen wrote to the Phnom Penh court
requesting the bail release for Dam Sith who was arrested since 08
June, and he was immediately incarcerated thereafter. Hun Sen brought
some weight into the matter: he personally vouched for Dam Sith, "as
the prime minister." The court had to abide by this request a few
hours later. Dam Sith's lawyer, Chung Chungy, said that he is "happy"
to see Hun Sen's intervention which he judged to be "very effective."
Last Monday, Khieu Kanharith, the minister of Information, and the SRP
MPs, had separately called on the court to release Dam Sith. But, it
was futile. On Friday, Judge Chhay Kong rejected the prior official
request made by Dam Sith's lawyer.

Sam Rainsy also said that he is "delighted" by the good news, while
adding that he wished "this case never even take place." "[This
release] only serves to put things back to normal. A lot of time and
energy has been wasted … This is regrettable, this is what happens
when a single person decides about everything: the arrest and the
release … The court is bypassed, and the Parliament is also bypassed…"
Sam Rainsy reminded also that Dam Sith received "fabulous offers from
the CPP, but he refused, preferring to remain faithful to his ideals."
"This arrest was done to punish him for not selling himself out."

Dam Sith still remains the target of the defamation and disinformation
lawsuit brought up against him by Hor Namhong, the minister of Foreign
Affairs, who accused him of reporting in his newspaper the speech
given by opposition leader Sam Rainsy. In this speech, Sam Rainsy
indicated that the government still includes former Khmer Rouge
officials, in particular the foreign minister who was allegedly the
former chief of the Boeng Trabek jail.

Pen Samithy, editor-in-chief of the Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper, wrote
in the Sunday's edition of his newspaper that the Club of Cambodian
Journalists (CCJ), which he presides, wishes to see Hor Namhong
withdrawing his lawsuit against Dam Sith. Dam Sith indicated also that
he asked his lawyer to discuss with Hor Namhong's lawyer in order to
convince him to withdraw the lawsuit. "If he (Hor Namhong) refuses, I
will send my complaint to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal so that it examines
Hor Namhong's responsibilities [under the Pol Pot regime] at the Boeng
Trabek detention camp," Dam Sith said.

The arrest of a journalist brought protests from other journalists, as
well as from human right activists, both inside and outside the
country. As mentioned several times in the past, Dam Sith is also a
SRP candidate for the upcoming 27 July general election for the city
of Phnom Penh.


______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
3046 INTN
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu