Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Jailed ex-RFA reporters to appeal detention at Supreme Court

Jailed ex-RFA reporters to appeal detention at Supreme Court

Former RFA reporters Oun Chhin and Yeang Sothearin appear at the Appeal Court in December, where their bail application was denied.
Former RFA reporters Oun Chhin and Yeang Sothearin appear at the Appeal Court in December, where their bail application was denied. Kim Sarom

Jailed ex-RFA reporters to appeal detention at Supreme Court

The defence lawyer for two former Radio Free Asia reporters will file an appeal with the Supreme Court tomorrow challenging their detention on charges of “espionage”. The Appeal Court upheld their pre-trial detention last week.

Former RFA journalists Yeang Sothearin and Oun Chhin were arrested in November on suspicion of sending news stories to the US-funded broadcaster and subsequently charged with providing “a foreign state with information which undermines national defence”.

RFA ceased its in-country operations in September amid a clampdown on independent media outlets and has denied employing the reporters.

The duo’s lawyer, Keo Vanny, today said he would file a motion with the Supreme Court challenging the Appeal Court’s decision.

“For the bail complaint of my clients, who are former RFA [reporters], I will file it to the Supreme Court on January 2. This is a complaint against the denial of bail by the Appeal Court,” Vanny said.

Vanny deemed the December 27 Appeal Court decision unfair because, he said, his clients had not committed a crime.

“Everything, including the profiles of my clients, has been sent to the court already and their passports as well. So there is nothing that the court could say to not free my clients,” Vanny added.

If convicted, the pair faces up to 15 years in prison.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Brawl marrs football final as Indonesian take gold in seven goal thriller

    The Indonesian men's U22 men national football team were crowned champions of the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, defeating Thailand 5-2 in extra time on May 16 at Olympic National Stadium in Phnom Penh. The match was marred by an ugly incident that occured in the 91

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Candlelight Party disqualified from July general election

    The National Election Committee (NEC) has disqualified the Candlelight Party (CP) from contesting the upcoming general election, citing a lack of valid documentation. NEC spokesman Khorn Keomono said the CP failed to fulfil one of the three main requirements: including original documentation proving their registration

  • Thong Khon calls for orderly SEA Games closing ceremony

    Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism and permanent vice-president of the Cambodia SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC), calls on all people who have received tickets to the May 17 closing ceremony of the biennial multi-sports extravaganza at the Morodok Techo National Stadium to ensure that the event

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is