The former president of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Chea Mony, had his “incitement to commit a felony” charge dropped due to insufficient evidence, a court spokesman said on Thursday.
Phnom Penh Municipal Court spokesman Y Rin said Investigating Judge Seng Rithy had moved to drop the case brought against Mony on December 15, 2017.
“The investigating judge at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court has decided to drop the case against the accused, Chea Mony, 48, who had been accused of incitement to commit a felony in Phnom Penh on December 15, 2017,” said Rithy’s letter dated December 28 and obtained by The Post on Thursday.
“[After investigating the case] under Articles 494 and Article 495 of the Criminal Code in accordance with due procedure, we have decided to drop the charge against the accused.”
Incitement to commit a felony carries a prison sentence of six months to two years.
On November 28 last year, Prime Minister Hun Sen asked all relevant government institutions to help resolve court cases involving union leaders representing workers.
Chea Mony could not be reached by The Post for comment.
On December 18, 2017, Dara Sokpanha and Keto Sovandy, lawyers for a group of 120 union leaders, filed a lawsuit against Mony with the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for allegedly calling on the EU and US to impose economic sanctions on Cambodia in an interview with Radio Free Asia on December 15, 2017.
Sokpanha said the team of lawyers would meet with the union leaders on whether to oppose the decision.
“It is up to the union side. I will meet and discuss with them [as to their decision].”
Mony is the brother of prominent unionist Chea Vichea who was shot dead in broad daylight in 2004.
