"Court charges two for defamation over land dispute in Koh Kong", 18 November 2020

Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Koh Kong Provincial Court … to await the sentencing of their three community land representatives who were accused of defamation related to a land dispute.

Provincial court prosecutor Un Sovantheany identified the three activists as Phao Nherng, Seng Lin and Khon Phon. They were sued for defamation by one of their former fellow representatives, Chhay Vy…

Nherng, one of the three accused, told … that she and Lin were charged with the defamation charge, while Phon was acquitted.

“The judge decided to release us on bail under court supervision. Whenever the authorities or court summons us, we have to go. We also have to present ourselves at the Sre Ambel district police station once a month. We are not allowed to move either,” Nherng said.

Yy Kunthea, one of the people who gathered in front of the court, said many people had turned out because they were afraid that the court would detain their representatives.

In a separate case …, five other community land representatives were sent to the Koh Kong Provincial Court in relation to defamation and incitement over land disputes.

They were summoned to court to contest a complaint by Heng Huy Agriculture Group, an entity owned by tycoon Heng Huy, who holds the honorific Oknha. The five defendants were released on bail but put under court supervision.

Thong Chan Dara, the provincial coordinator for rights group Adhoc, said all seven of the community representatives convicted in the two cases were protesting to protect their land…