Opposition Sam Rainsy Party lawyer Choung Choungy has had his trav­­el movements restricted by Kandal Provincial Court but has not yet been arrested or charged after his first appearance before the court yesterday.

Choung Choungy, who has been accused of aiding and abet­­ting the escape of a prisoner who was “arrested” without a warrant, ap­peared at the court for questioning yesterday with a team of eight lawyers representing him.

Judge Sin Virak said Choung Choungy would not be detained, but the court had ordered travel restrictions on him pending further investigation into the case.

“We are controlling him on three counts: first, [we] do not allow him to go outside Cambodian territory; second, he cannot move house without permission of the investigating judge; and third, he must appear in court when summoned,” Sin Virak said.

The judge added that as the case involves a misdemeanor crime and Choung Choungy has a registered address and a recognised occupation, it was not necessary to hold him in pre-trial detention.

The activist lawyer said that he still rejected the allegations against him, but was willing to co-operate with court procedure.

“This is really a case that abus­es my freedom to perform the service of a lawyer,” Choung Choungy, who in September last year escorted his client from the provincial police office where he was being held without an arrest warrant.

“I have been not wrong, I defended my client well. I want to have clear judgment. If I am wrong, I would agree go to jail but if the judge is wrong – imprison the judge,” Choung Choungy said outside the courtroom yesterday.