Cambodian court charges trio that assisted farmers with incitement
More than 200 farmers descend on the capital to protest: ‘My son is not a dog,’ says one.
By RFA Khmer
2023.05.22
A court in Cambodia’s Ratanakiri province has charged three men with incitement after they advised farmers of their constitutional rights, prompting more than 200 farmers to descend on the capital to call for their release.

On the afternoon of May 17, authorities in Kratie province arrested Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community President Theng Savoeun and 16 of his colleagues for “inciting social unrest” and “conspiracy to commit treason.”

According to local rights group ADHOC, the arrests took place after the 17 met with farmers in Ratanakiri to discuss agricultural techniques and their rights as Cambodian citizens. That same day, police set 14 of the detainees free after they agreed to thumbprint a statement pledging that they would no longer conduct training sessions.

The Ratanakkiri Provincial Court formally charged Theng Savoeun and two others – Thach Hach and Nhel Pheap – and ordered them detained at the provincial prison.

Nearly six days later, the trio remain in detention and have been refused access to lawyers or family members – visits they are guaranteed after 24 hours in custody, according to Cambodian law.

Over the weekend, some 200 farmers – mostly women – from various provinces traveled to the Ministry of Interior in Phnom Penh to demand their release, claiming that they had provided assistance and done nothing illegal.
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambod ... 80221.html

Cambodian land activists arrested for allegedly inciting farmers to hate the rich
Sopheng Cheang and Grant Pecktoday

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Three Cambodian land rights activists who were arrested on charges of plotting against the government planned to provoke a peasant revolution by teaching farmers about class divisions between rich and poor, an official said Tuesday.

Theng Savoeun, president of the Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community, and his colleagues Nhel Pheap and Than Hach were charged Monday by a court in the country’s northeast with plotting against the state and incitement to commit a felony, said Am Sam Ath of the local rights group Licadho.

He said plotting against the government carries a possible prison term of five to 10 years, while incitement to commit a felony is punishable by six months to two years. He described the charges as sending “a message of intimidation” to civil society groups.

The three suspects were not available for comment and their lawyers were not immediately reachable.
In full: https://apnews.com/article/cambodia-lan ... 5093788da5

UPDATE: Released !

Cambodian farmers’ coalition members freed ahead of polls
Three members of the Coalition of Cambodian Farmers Community were accused of plotting a 'peasant revolution'
By UCA News reporter
Published: May 31, 2023 10:24 AM GMT

Three members of a farmers’ coalition have been released on bail in Cambodia after they confessed to plotting and incitement, and issued a public apology to Prime Minister HE.

Coalition of Cambodian Farmers Community (CCFC) president Theng Savoeun and advocacy officers Nhel Pheap and Than Hach were accused of plotting a 'peasant revolution' after they were detained at May-end. The charge carries a jail sentence of up to 10 years and their actions were likened by one official to a Khmer Rouge-styled insurrection.

A fourth person, independent researcher Chan Vibol, was also charged, but according to the independent news outlet CamboJaNews, he has so far evaded custody.

According to a Khmer language video clip posted by government mouthpiece Fresh News and translated by UCAN News, Theng Savoeun appealed to the farming community and the CFCC, saying; “please don’t take part in assemblies by extreme political parties which act illegally."
Theng Savoeun also said some foreigners and opposition politicians had tried to incite farmers into overthrowing the government, although he added that he had not fully realized this. Theng Savoeun said he was sorry and asked for forgiveness.
https://www.ucanews.com/news/cambodian- ... lls/101494