Source: Radio Free Asia
Reported in English by Khmerization
Phnom Penh Municipal Court has sentenced Ms. Touch Ly, chief of Lor Peang village in Kampong Chhnang province to 16 months jail on charges of document forgeries in relation to land disputes between Madame Chea Kheng and 77 families from her village.
Madame Chea Kheng is the head of KDC company and wife of Mr. Suy Sem, Minister of Industries, Mining and Energy.
Mr. Chin Lida, lawyer representing Ms. Touch Ly, said the court's decision to convict his client is very unjustice. "As a local authority, when the locals need something or when they ask for her help she has to come out and intervene on their behalf. I think that she did not do anything wrong. She has no intention of being dishonest", he said.
Currently, Ms. Touch Ly has been in Preysor Jail, 20 kilometres outside of Phnom Penh.
Mr. Om Sam Ath, investigator for human rights group Licadho, said the court's decision is very unjust. "She is also a victim of the land-grab because this case happened because Madame Chea Kheng, director of KDC company, made a request to the Governor of Kampong Chhnang to convene a meeting on 25th August 2008 in order to resolve the disputes very quickly", he said.
Sources said that Madame Chea Kheng, head of KDC company and who is also the wife of Minister Suy Sem, had a long land dispute with 77 families from Lor Peang village involing 108 hectares of lands in the village.
Ms. Touch Ly in 2008 had gathered thumprints from villagers to prove that they hadn't sold their plots of lands to KDC company, but KDC rejected the thumprints by accusing Ms. Touch Ly of faking those thumprints and other documents instead.
Reported in English by Khmerization
Phnom Penh Municipal Court has sentenced Ms. Touch Ly, chief of Lor Peang village in Kampong Chhnang province to 16 months jail on charges of document forgeries in relation to land disputes between Madame Chea Kheng and 77 families from her village.
Madame Chea Kheng is the head of KDC company and wife of Mr. Suy Sem, Minister of Industries, Mining and Energy.
Mr. Chin Lida, lawyer representing Ms. Touch Ly, said the court's decision to convict his client is very unjustice. "As a local authority, when the locals need something or when they ask for her help she has to come out and intervene on their behalf. I think that she did not do anything wrong. She has no intention of being dishonest", he said.
Currently, Ms. Touch Ly has been in Preysor Jail, 20 kilometres outside of Phnom Penh.
Mr. Om Sam Ath, investigator for human rights group Licadho, said the court's decision is very unjust. "She is also a victim of the land-grab because this case happened because Madame Chea Kheng, director of KDC company, made a request to the Governor of Kampong Chhnang to convene a meeting on 25th August 2008 in order to resolve the disputes very quickly", he said.
Sources said that Madame Chea Kheng, head of KDC company and who is also the wife of Minister Suy Sem, had a long land dispute with 77 families from Lor Peang village involing 108 hectares of lands in the village.
Ms. Touch Ly in 2008 had gathered thumprints from villagers to prove that they hadn't sold their plots of lands to KDC company, but KDC rejected the thumprints by accusing Ms. Touch Ly of faking those thumprints and other documents instead.
1 comment:
Good for our Surin brothers and sisters to know Khmer language and their ancestors' cultures. Most of them can't speak Khmer, so this is a good chance for them to learn and know their roots.
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