Govt defends the sentence of Prince Sirivudh

Govt defends the sentence of Prince Sirivudh

PHNOM PENH (AFP): A Cambodian government spokesman yesterday defended the conviction of Prince Norodom Sirivudh, who was sentenced in absentia Thursday to 10 years in prison for allegedly plotting to assassinate co-Premier Hun Hen.

Human rights activists and foreign lawyers have complained that the evidence against King Norodom Sihanouk's half-brother was not nearly enough for a conviction and that the proceedings were evidence that Cambodia's courts were not independent.

They noted that Hun Sen said earlier this month that the prince, who has proclaimed his innocence, could return from exile in France to stand trial but that he would spend a long time in prison afterward if he did.

But information ministry spokesman Sieng Lapresse said the government was in no way involved in the case and had not interfered in the judicial process.

"The executive branch gave this to the judicial branch," he told reporters at a press briefing. "The outcome of the procedure had nothing to do with the government.

"If the prince's lawyers think that there was interference or something was done wrong, they should complain or appeal."

Prince Sirivudh, Cambodia's former foreign minister who was exiled in December after being arrested on Hun Sen's demand in November, called the trial a "mockery of justice" and said it "shattered" the dream of political plurality in his home country.

Speaking in Paris, the 44-year-old prince said he had not yet decided whether to file an appeal, but added: "Given this mockery of justice, it does not really interest me."

The prince was convicted of criminal conspiracy and illegal possession of weapons.

The prosecution evidence included testimony from two witnesses who said the prince had told them he had formed a group of people who would act "when he gave them the green light," but included no evidence of who, where or how many people had joined the alleged conspiracy.

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans said yesterday a 10-year jail term passed against Sirivudh shows the country's legal system lacks complete independence

"The sentence against Sirivudh is very depressing because I think it does demonstrate that the Cambodian judiciary is less than wholly independent," Evans told reporters.

"There doesn't seem to have been any substantial evidence at all to remotely justify conviction and sentence of this order," he said.

"Cambodia is still obviously in a transitional period, I think we have to expect things like this to happen from time to time, but certainly we'll be expressing our concern to the Cambodian government."

Evans said it was important that the Cambodian government be prepared to accommodate political dissent, whether it was from Prince Sirivudh or anybody else.

"They've been reluctant to do that, but that's what democracy is all about, that's what they are committed to under the Paris Peace Accord, that's what the rest of the world wants to see happening," he said.

Evans said he would not be talking to the Cambodian ambassador about the matter.