Weekend Reads Trial of former opposition members in Cambodia: a first hearing under close surveillance

© REUTERS - STRINGER Theary Seng, lawyer and human rights defender, arrives at the municipal court of Phnom Penh. November 26, 2020.

In Cambodia, 138 people were summoned simultaneously, this Thursday, November 26, by the municipal court of Phnom Penh, for accusations of "conspiracy" or "incitement" to commit a crime or to stir up trouble . The defendants are mostly sympathizers and former members of the opposition party dissolved at the end of 2017.

With our correspondent in Phnom Penh, Juliette Buchez

Important police device, ban on standing in court, materialized by rubalises . Facing the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, the space for supporters of defendants continues to shrink in cases involving the opposition. This was seen by the dozens of people who came to show their support for those who came to court.

Presidential in Burkina: last day of campaign, favorite Kaboré

© OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT A supporter of Eddie Komboigo, candidate of the party of former president Blaise Compaoré, on November 19 in Ouagadougou One of the poorest countries in the world , Burkina Faso, sucked into a spiral of incessant jihadist attacks, votes Sunday for a presidential election under high surveillance during which the outgoing, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, is the favorite. The 6.5 million Burkinabè called to vote have the choice between President Kaboré and twelve opposition candi

Defendants, who are largely former members or supporters of opposition National Rescue party, also charged A Cambodian court has begun hearing the cases of nearly 130 opponents and government critics “It is the first time since I began representing opposition group members that such a huge

A Cambodian court was due on Thursday to start the treason trial of more than 100 members and backers of the political opposition , in a case condemned by "It will be a show case with a verdict already decided, not by the judges but by the regime," CNRP's former deputy leader Mu Sochua told

Three years after the controversial dissolution of the PSNC, Cambodia’s main opposition party, new cases against former members and supporters remain numerous.

Rhona Smith , UN special rapporteur on human rights, commented on the case on Wednesday in a statement, since contested by the Cambodian government. It indicates that this "mass trial ... appears politically motivated, lacks a clear legal basis and constitutes a serious violation of the right to a fair and equitable trial.

Procedural Defects

Rhona Smith adds that the procedure appears to be part of a strategy to intimidate and discredit opponents of the government. Of the 138 people summoned, only about thirty appeared before the court. Some indicated that they had not even received an individual summons, or that they had received a document full of procedural flaws. Before the judges, the defendants have still not obtained the details of the facts with which they are accused or the date on which they allegedly took place. They nevertheless face long prison sentences.

This first hearing marks the opening of two cases. A first group must therefore appear on January 14 and the second on March 4, 2021.

In addition,

the trial for treason of Kem Sokha , president of the opposition party at the time of its dissolution, remains suspended for the moment due to Covid-19.