"Boeung Kak activists sentenced", 2 April 2019

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced each of four Boeung Kak land activists to one year in prison and a two million riel ($500) fine … for intentional acts of violence. But the four women have long regarded the charge as unjust.

The four convicted were identified as Nhet Khun, known as Mummy, and her three daughters – Eng Huoy, Eng Srey Heang and Eng Sokha.

Judge Ros Samidy said the verdict would be displayed in public for one week to allow the convicts to file an appeal before the verdict becomes effective.

If no appeal is filed to the Appeal Court, the four will be detained in prison in accordance with the court order, Judge Samidy said.

Eng Sokha told … that the court’s verdict was unfair because, at all the previous court hearings, her family’s statements were exaggerated to incriminate them…

“We barely have enough to eat. We don’t have money to hire a lawyer. We’re looking for intervention and assistance from the prime minister’s volunteer legal team."…

Soeung Sen Karuna, the spokesman for human rights group Adhoc, said although the case involved a conflict that he had not followed, he believed the court’s verdict to be unjust because it is normal legal procedure for all involved parties, especially the plaintiff, to be summoned to court…