FILE: Prisoners and their children attend a ceremony at Prey Sar prison in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, March 8, 2015. REUTERS/Samrang Pring

27 May 2020

“Likely, we will release 10,000 people..."

PHNOM PENH — Interior Minister Sar Kheng on Wednesday hinted that convicted inmates serving prison sentences could possibly be released to reduce overcrowding, in parallel with judicial reforms announced last week to fast-track trial proceedings for misdemeanors.

He pegged the total number of prison releases at around 10,000, which, he said, would happen through release of convicted individuals, as well as the reforms announced by Justice Minister Koeut Rith on May 18.

“Likely, we will release 10,000 people, but they will not be in one or two provinces. They will be spread all over the places,” he said. “We will find means to deal with the released people.”

The Ministry of Justice launched a parallel campaign to reduce the logjam at the country’s courts, asking judges to fast-track misdemeanor cases using existing Criminal Procedures Code provisions, increase bail approvals and to hand out more suspended sentences.

According to statistics released by Sar Kheng in March, there are currently 39,000 detainees in Cambodian prisons, around 11,000 of which have been convicted of a crime, leaving more than two-thirds of the total inmates on pre-trial detention.

full https://www.voacambodia.com/a/interior- ... 37760.html

Felgerkarb wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 9:19 am

Kung-fu Hillbilly wrote: ↑Thu May 28, 2020 8:53 am

According to statistics released by Sar Kheng in March, there are currently 39,000 detainees in Cambodian prisons, around 11,000 of which have been convicted of a crime, leaving more than two-thirds of the total inmates on pre-trial detention.

This is the real news.

And those babies and young kids look so guilty.

Community sentences aim to ease overcrowding in prisons: Sar Kheng
Kim Sarom | Publication date 26 December 2022 | 21:27 ICT

Minister of Interior Sar Kheng said the public should not be surprised to see people who had committed minor crimes returning to their communities after their arrests, as the authorities introduce new educational measures to reduce prison overcrowding.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a new mosque in Kampong Luong commune of Kandal province’s Ponhea Leu district on December 24, he said Cambodia’s prisons currently house 37,000 prisoners, making them overcrowded. Of that number, 20,000 – or more than half – are detained due to drug-related offences.

To address the issue, the government has introduced various measures, including education programmes to those convicted of minor crimes, like addicts who were caught with small amounts of drugs. Following their education, many of them were allowed to return home, in a bid to reduce overcrowding.

“This is why in some localities, members of the public have complained that the commune police had released some offenders only days after they were arrested. This is being done to relief the overcrowding in some prisons,” he added.

Sar Khneng said some people had asked if the perpetrators would be released if the prisons were not so crowded.

“We are still making arrests, but if the offence is minor, we think it is better to just educate them and send them home. We also believe that this is an excellent opportunity for parents to provide guidance to their children,” he said.

“Some people have suggested that if we claim that overcrowding is an issue, we might as well release all of the prisoners into the custody of their families. This is a facetious argument, but in the case of young, first-time criminals caught for minor offences, we need to find another way to deal with them,” he added.

Sar Kheng said sentence reductions and pardons are also stipulated in the Criminal Code, noting that the National Commission to Review Requests for Sentence Reductions and Pardons make recommendations to the King through Prime Minister HE four or five times each year.

In some cases, prisoners who were nearing the end of their sentences were eligible for early release on bail if they were well behaved, and had less than six months remaining on their sentence.

“This means they are released but placed under court supervision. If the person commits a new crime, they will be arrested and prosecuted. They must also complete the sentence they were bailed from,” he said.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ ... -sar-kheng

Use some of that surplus tax money to set up a community service for offenders, I'm sure the lacky guards in each and every sangkat would love to watch a criminal pick up trash or build a house for 8 hours a day.