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Man who sang ‘protest song’ out of jail, still faces charge

| Publication date 26 September 2017 | 08:26 ICT

Huy Oudom, 29, who was arrested for singing a song critical of Prime Minister Hun Sen, speaks to the media after his release yesterday in Kratie province
Huy Oudom, 29, who was arrested for singing a song critical of Prime Minister Hun Sen, speaks to the media after his release yesterday in Kratie province. Fresh News

Man who sang ‘protest song’ out of jail, still faces charge

A Kampong Speu resident jailed for posting a video of himself singing a song critical of Prime Minister Hun Sen was released yesterday from Kratie Provincial Prison but still faces a charge of “incitement”.

Huy Oudom, 29, was arrested last week for the song, posted online in 2013, accusing Hun Sen of giving away Cambodia’s territory to the yuon – a widely used derogatory reference to the Vietnamese.

Following his arrest, Oudom issued an apology song – this time criticising the opposition for provoking such insults.

Yesterday, Kratie Provincial Investigating Judge Than Khung released Oudom on bail, citing his apology, but the court has not dropped the charges of “provocation to commit crimes”.

On being released, Oudom again attributed the outburst to his youth and naiveté at the time, and said it was the opposition who had given him the idea that Hun Sen had taken away people’s land.

“The song was not correct. I regret that I have done it and committed the mistake of insulting and attacking. I beg and apologise to Samdech [Hun Sen] because I was stupid,” he said.

Contact author: Mech Dara

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