Um Sam An (CNRP) royally pardoned

geovalin · August 26, 2018

His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni issued a royal pardon for former oppositional lawmaker Um Sam An (CNRP) who was serving a prison sentence for incitement. Phnom Penh Municipal Court ordered, on this day, August 25, the Prey Sar prison chief to release Mr Sam in accordance with the royal pardon.

Mr Sam An, holding dual American and Cambodian citizenship, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in October 2017 for posting on Facebook that the government had ceded territory to Vietnam by using improperly demarcated maps. Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Thursday, August 23, that he planned to request royal pardons for 12 former members of the dissolved CNRP who were jailed for insurrection and incitement. He made clear that his decision came about because the dozen detainees asked for his mercy and forgiveness, and had nothing to do with pressure from the international community.

The 12 former opposition party members include Um Sam An, and Meach Sovannara, the former information department head of the CNRP. He and ten other activists were found guilty of leading and participating in an insurrection after a violent clash between party supporters and Daun Penh district security guards at the Freedom Park on July 15, 2014. He got 20 years and the others were sentenced to between seven and 20 years.

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