"Court summons issued to Mother Nature founder", 2 May 2019

The Koh Kong Provincial Court issued a warrant …, summoning Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson, the Spanish co-founder of environmental NGO Mother Nature, to a court hearing...

The summon, issued by prosecutor Iv Trav …, said Gonzalez-Davidson, also known as Alex, is charged with “threatening to cause destruction, defacement or damage” and inciting others to do the same.

The offences were allegedly committed in the Prek Andong Teuk area in Botum Sakor district’s Andong Teuk commune between July 26 and 28, 2015, and August 12, 2015.

Gonzalez-Davidson, along with two other co-founders of Mother Nature, was charged under Articles 29 and 424 of the Criminal Code. The case involved their repeated obstruction to sand-dredging activities in the province.

Gonzalez-Davidson told … that the summons followed his lawyer’s repeated demands for the court to follow legal procedures and respect the rights of defendants.

“I have my defence right to a court hearing as stated in an international covenant and Cambodian laws. My defence lawyer has tried for more than two-and-a-half years, …, to push for a hearing. The court dared not schedule a hearing until several days ago."

Provincial court spokesperson Un Sovantheany told … that the summons was issued because the case was due for a hearing.

“The court summoned the suspect to inform him of the date for a trial,” Sovantheany said, adding that a defendant had the right to obtain information about a trial…