Opposition politician tried for criticizing Cambodian leaders

MGR Online•International•12d ago

Reader Briefing

Keoun Virath, head of the Nation Power Party in Prey Veng, faces court for social media posts criticizing Cambodian leaders regarding the Thai-Cambodian border.

•Keoun Virath was charged with incitement and insulting high-ranking government leaders.
•The charges stem from Facebook posts criticizing Hun Sen and Hun Manet regarding border disputes with Thailand.
•Keoun Virath was arrested on April 7 and detained at Tabong Khmum Provincial Prison.
•The court is scheduled to read the verdict on October 9.

Overview

•Keoun Virath was brought to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on charges of using social media to incite unrest and insult high-ranking government leaders.
•Keoun Virath is the 35-year-old head of the Nation Power Party in Prey Veng province and a resident of the Prek Pnov district, Phnom Penh.
•Internal security police of the Phnom Penh Municipality arrested Keoun Virath on April 7, after which Keoun Virath was held at Tabong Khmum Provincial Prison.
•The court alleged that Keoun Virath posted on Facebook accusing Hun Sen and Hun Manet of failing to protect Cambodian territory and focusing only on maintaining political power.
•Keoun Virath denied the charges, asserting that the posts were political criticism and an expression of opinion as an opposition politician.
•The court rejected the claims made by Keoun Virath, stating they were false and could affect national security and public order.
•The court is scheduled to read the verdict on October 9.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Read on MGR Online (Thai Version)View in Google Translate

Source: MGR Online (Original)

View Original Article

Key Quotes

Lawyer of Keoun Virath

"My client's case is a matter of expressing an opinion, not an act that falls under incitement."

คดีของลูกความผมเป็นเรื่องของการแสดงความคิดเห็น ไม่ใช่การกระทำที่เข้าข่ายการปลุกปั่น

Key Entities

Person

Keoun Virath(เคือน วิรัธ)

Head of the Nation Power Party in Prey Veng province and an opposition politician.

Hun Sen(ฮุน เซน)ℹ️

President of the Senate of Cambodia.

Hun Manet(ฮุน มาเนต)ℹ️

Prime Minister of Cambodia.

Organization

Nation Power Party(พรรคพลังแห่งชาติ)ℹ️

The political party led by Keoun Virath in Prey Veng province.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court(ศาลเทศบาลกรุงพนมเปญ)

The court where the case against Keoun Virath is being heard.

Place

Tabong Khmum Provincial Prison(เรือนจำจังหวัดตะโบงคมุม)

The facility where Keoun Virath has been detained since April 7.

Phnom Penh(พนมเปญ)ℹ️

The city where the municipal court is located and where Keoun Virath resides.

Prey Veng(เปรยเวง)

The province where Keoun Virath serves as the head of the Nation Power Party.

Prek Pnov(เปรกปโน)

The district in Phnom Penh where Keoun Virath is domiciled.

Law

Criminal Code Articles 494, 495, and 502(ประมวลกฎหมายอาญามาตรา 494, 495 และ 502)

The legal articles under which Keoun Virath was charged with incitement and insult.