PRESS RELEASE
Phnom Penh - 9 August 2009
CCHR CONCERNED BY REMOVAL OF PEN BONNAR FROM RATANAKIRI PROVINCE
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) is deeply concerned by the role played by a Provincial Municipal Judge in the recent removal of Cambodian Human Rights and Development Organisation (ADHOC) activist Pen Bonnar from his position as Ratanakiri provincial coordinator. The CCHR calls on Judge Thor Saran to clarify his recent comments in relation to charges against Mr. Pen and to explain his role in the removal of the provincial coordinator from Ratanakiri. The CCHR is concerned that the case of Pen Bonnar represents evidence of a practice in Cambodia whereby the threat of legal charges is used to silence the voices of human rights activists and to curtail freedom of expression.
The removal of Mr. Pen from Ratanakiri follows an extrajudicial and ultra vires request by Judge Thor to the administration of ADHOC that they remove Mr. Pen from the Province. In so doing, Judge Thor advised, ADHOC would remove Mr. Pen from the jurisdiction of the Provincial Municipal Court of Ratanakiri thereby ensuring that charges of incitement against him would be dropped; “it is easy to end the case and the court can compromise, drop his case and avoid [his] detention”.
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