4 charges leveled against Mam Sonando after his arrest – More of Hun Xen’s travesty of justice

15 July 2012
By Son Sopheak
DAP news
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media

Phnom Penh – At 9AM on 15 July 2012, cops from the ministry of Interior (MoI) arrested Mam Sonando, the owner of the Beehive radio station and president of the Democrat Association, at his office. He is accused of involvement in 4 serious anti-government charges, in particular for his involvement in the case of Bun Ratha, a man accused by Hun Xen’s regime of land secession in Kampong Damrey commune, Chhlong district, Kratie province.

Khieu Sopheak, the MoI mouthpiece, confirmed to DAP-news over the phone about Mam Sonando’s arrest and his arrest was ordered by the Kratie provincial court on 02 July 2012.

The four charges leveled against Mam Sonando are:

1. Fomenting ideas against public government officials,
2. Fomenting illegal insurrection when the authority was undertaking public work,
3. Inciting people to hold illegal arms, and
4. Opposing the legal authority as stipulated in a number of sections of the criminal law.

According to Khieu Sopheak, after Mam Sonando was arrested, the cops are preparing his paperwork to send it to the court.

Mam Sonando was arrested after he arrived home from a trip overseas on 12 July 2012. At his arrival, Mam Sonando told reporters that he was not afraid of being arrested.

Recently, Hun Xen ordered the arrest of Bun Ratha [for his opposition against forced eviction in Kratie] and he also ordered the arrest of the president of the Democrat Association without mentioning Mam Sonando’s name specifically.