Cambodian Appeal Court acquits all charges against French journalist

[geovalin]

Cambodia's Appeal Court on Monday acquitted all charges against French journalist Daniel Lain , who was sentenced to seven years in jail in absentia for sex charges by a lower court in January last year.

"The Appeal Court decided to reject the Phnom Penh Municipal Court's verdict, which convicted the accused Daniel Lain to seven years in jail in absentia for sex trafficking, because the court has found no enough evidence to prove the charges," Presiding Judge Taing Sunlay announced the verdict on Monday. " The Appeal Court decided to acquit all charges against him."

Kong Sam On, defense lawyer for Daniel Lain, welcomed the Appeal Court's decision, saying it gave justice to his client.

Daniel Lain was convicted in absentia -- he lives in France -- to seven years in prison for sex trafficking in January last year by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court after a Cambodian woman accused him of filming her without her consent and his documentary film about Cambodia's sex tourism trade premiered on a French television with a description that she was a prostitute, who had sex with clients for 5 US dollars each time.

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/851826.shtml