Kidney-sale sentence cut in half on appeal

A woman who had been sentenced to 15 years for organ trafficking in March had her sentence halved at the Appeal Court yesterday, while her two relatives convicted in absentia saw their 10-year sentences dropped entirely.

Yem Asi Sas wept as she left the courtroom after hearing the news. The 29-year-old had been convicted of “trafficking people with the purpose of organ removal” after persuading several people, including two cousins, to go to Thailand to sell their kidneys to wealthy Cambodians on dialysis for $3,000 to $5,000 each.

Her father, Yem Phalla, and brother-in-law, Heng Sabay, convicted as accomplices, had fled prior to their convictions and were not present to hear their sentences lifted.

read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kidney-sale-sentence-cut-half-appeal