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Pich Piseth, chief of the Coalition-AI union at a garment manufacturing facility in Preah Sihanouk province, was sentenced to 2 years in jail for incitement to commit a felony, the Phnom Penh Municipal Courtroom mentioned on Wednesday.
The court docket additionally fined Piseth practically $1,000. He has been in pre-trial detention since September after commenting on a Fb submit by one other commerce union president, Sok Kin, criticizing him for what he described as failing to face up for employees. His jailing drew condemnation from labor activists who known as the case unjust and unprecedented.
The court docket dropped a separate public insult cost after Kin, who heads the Constructing and Wooden Employees Commerce Union Federation of Cambodia (BWTUC), withdrew a civil grievance in October.
Kin had beforehand sued Piseth for defamation and sought 80 million riel (about $20,000) in compensation.
Piseth is amongst 97 Prisoners of Curiosity listed by native rights group Licadho, which says they’re detained over their activism or expression.
Rights teams have lengthy criticized Cambodian courts for utilizing incitement costs to silence activists, journalists and dissent, calling the apply politically motivated and extreme.
Ek Sopheakdey, interim president of Coalition-AI, mentioned the conviction may additional limit freedom of expression.
“It’s unfair as a result of there was no clear proof, as Piseth didn’t straight insult or discriminate in opposition to any particular person,” he mentioned, including the ruling may discourage different unionists from defending employees’ rights.
He mentioned that though the court docket dropped the general public insult cost after Kin withdrew his grievance, the remaining cost stemmed from the identical lawsuit.
Kin informed CamboJA Information he initially filed the grievance as a result of he felt insulted, however later withdrew it after concluding there was “no injury” to his fame.
He mentioned he withdrew the grievance as a result of each he and Piseth “are union leaders working in the identical subject to guard employees’ rights” and he did “not have sufficient time to pursue this matter by way of the court docket course of.”
“It’s past my accountability now,” he mentioned. “I’ve withdrawn the grievance, and the court docket has adopted its procedures. That’s their proper.”
Piseth’s spouse, Keo Phea, mentioned they plan to file an enchantment in opposition to the court docket’s resolution, arguing that he was solely exercising his proper to freedom of expression.
“He admitted to posting the touch upon Fb, however he didn’t intend to defame anybody. He was merely exercising his proper to specific his opinion,” she mentioned.
She known as on the court docket to acquit and launch him, noting that he’s the household’s sole breadwinner supporting 5 youngsters.
Spokesperson for the Phnom Penh Municipal Courtroom Y Rin didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Am Sam Ath, operations director of Licadho, mentioned the unionist’s arrest, costs, detention and conviction confirmed restrictions on commerce union freedoms assured by the structure and worldwide conventions.
“This verdict might draw criticism for harassment and intimidation in opposition to union leaders, notably these from impartial unions,” he mentioned.
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