"Court summons Adhoc staffer", 25 July 2019

The Ratanakkiri Provincial Court has summoned a senior Adhoc staffer and eight other people to be present for questioning next month on grounds of “incitement to commit crimes”.

The court warrant, which was signed by Investigating Judge Seng Simsorya …, ordered Pen Bunna, senior land and natural resources officer for rights group Adhoc, to appear at the provincial court on August 6 at 8:30am.

The court warrant said he was accused of “incitement to commit crimes” in Seda commune’s Samut Krom village in Lumphat district on June 22 and 23, 2017, under articles 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code.

Bunna, 65, told … that he is prepared to appear in court, claiming he is innocent of all accusations. He said he was at a meeting in Phnom Penh …, while ethnic indigenous communities were patrolling the forest, where they had observed illegal forestry crimes taking place…

Chhorn Phalla, one of the indigenous Bunong villagers who is being sued, said he had nothing to worry about and was ready for a legal battle because he had not done anything against the law.

He said he had enough evidence to testify in court and could also identify those who had colluded to “destroy the forest”…

Lumphat district governor Nou The said … that he did not know if the local authorities had filed the countersuit. He said he would look into the case and then see if further measures could be taken…