Phnom Penh regime is getting paranoid: Printing KI-Media article is a criminal incitation act

Seng Kunakar: Arrested and sent to court for printing and distributing article posted on KI-Media

Court to sentence security official for distributing leaflets cursing the government leaders

18 Dec 2010
By Serey
Cambodia Express News
Translated from Khmer by Soy

Phnom Penh – The court immediately held a hearing to sentence a man who works as the security chief for a rice warehouse belonging to the World Food Program for his involvement in the distribution of leaflets that contain curses on the government leader. The case took place on 18 December 2010 and the man is accused of criminal incitation as stipulated in Article 495 of the Criminal code. However, up to the evening of 18 Dec, the court had not made any decision yet and the man was held at the police station for the night.

According to Article 495, the arrested man could face 6 months to 2 years of jail time, and fine between 2 million to 6 million riels ($500 to $1,500) if the court finds him guilty.

Seng Kunakar is the name of the 40-year-old man arrested. He was arrested by the Russei Keo police on 17 Dec 2010 and he was brought in for questioning in the distribution of leaflets cursing the government leaders.

The man printed leaflets containing curses on the government leaders from what was originally posted on KI-Media on 16 December 2010. He distributed them to employees and co-workers to read, then this led to the snitching on him. The cops conducted a search for the person who distributed this leaflet and this led to the arrest of the man on 18 Dec.

Chet [Roy?] Khemra, the prosecutor of the Phnom Penh municipal court decided to charge Seng Kunakar of incitation for criminal act, and then his case was immediately sent in for sentencing.