FURTHER evidence and a Cambodian investigating judge are being sent to Thailand to
assist with the Cambodian Government's extradition request for Sok Yoeun, who is
accused of involvement in the 1998 rocket attack on Prime Minister Hun Sen's motorcade
in Siem Reap.
The Head of the Military Court of Cambodia, Nay Tol, told the Post on Wednesday that
he was forwarding new evidence to the Thai court including pictures of weapons, documents
and answers to questions from the Thai authorities. The case is due to be heard on
July 26.
"I am also sending my investigating judge to be there [in the court] for this
case," he said.
According to the Bangkok newspaper The Nation of July 5, documents were sent to the
Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok last week. They were being translated before being forwarded
to the Thai foreign Ministry's Treaties and Legal Affairs section.
In September last year Yoeun, a senior Sam Rainsy Party activist from Battambang,
was accused of staging the rocket attack which killed a 12-year-old boy who was sitting
in front of his family's home. No-one in the motorcade was harmed.
He fled to Thailand and was arrested and convicted in Bangkok earlier this year on
immigration charges. He was sentenced to six months' jail and though that sentence
has been served he has not been released pending the outcome of the extradition request.
Yoeun and SRP officials have strenuously denied he was involved in the attack. Human
rights groups have condemned the Government's attempts to prosecute Yoeun, saying
the case is a fabrication and politically motivated. Amnesty International has also
criticized his treatment and has adopted him as a prisoner of conscience.
SRP Deputy Secretary General Meng Rita said the Cambodian government wanted Yoeun
back in Cambodia to put pressure on Sam Rainsy, particularly with commune elections
near.
He said he hoped the Thai court would be just to Yoeun and free him when they realized
this was not a legitimate criminal case.
"We believe that they [the Thai court] will realize that the Sok Yoeun case
is really a political case," he said.
Rita said the party was confident that their reputation for non-violence will weigh
in on Yoeun's behalf.
"We are not worried at all because we never do things like that," he said.
"Our policy is to never use violence and we do not aim to gain power by killing
people."
Sok Yoeun and the head of the party's Bangkok office, Sar Sophorn, are trying to
resettle in a third country with the assistance of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR).
Rita hinted that a third country had been found for the men to settle in, but he
would not specify which one.
He said Yoeun is in good health and his wife has been allowed to visit him and provide
him with food.
