Beehive Radio Owner Sentenced to 20 Years for Alleged Secessionist Plot

Say Mony and Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Tuesday, 02 October 2012

Cambodian authorities sentenced Beehive Radio owner Mam Sonando to 20 years in jail, on charges related to an alleged secessionist plot. Rights advocates say there was little evidence in the case, which also saw jail sentences for 13 other people by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. All of them are accused of a conspiracy to establish a separatist zone in Kratie province.

However, rights workers say the case stems from a violent land protest in Kratie in May and was called for by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who was angered by Mam Sonando's talks with a US-based group that is highly critical of the government. VOA Khmer's Heng Reaksmey and Say Mony report from Phnom Penh.