The family of Hang Vuthy is asking the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to rehear Vuthy’s case, which closed in 2006 when he was sentenced in absentia to 51 years for crimes including the murder of Phnom Penh Municipal Court Judge Sok Sethamony.

Vuthy, who escaped pre-trial detention in 2006, was previously a close aide of Heng Pov, the former Phnom Penh municipal police chief now serving 100 years for several of the same convictions as Vuthy.

In April, Vuthy turned himself in in hopes his case could be reheard, but so far he has not received any response from the court, Vuthy’s sister said yesterday.

Vuthy has rejected the murder conviction, saying military police in 2006 tortured him into confessing.

To contact the reporter on this story: Buth Reaksmey Kongkea at [email protected]