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Cambodian court begins trial of opposition senator charged with forgery, incitement

Xinhua, October 2, 2015 Adjust font size:

A Cambodian court has rejected a bail request for opposition senator Hong Sok Hour and began on Friday a trial against him on the charges of forgery and incitement after he posted online a fake version of a Cambodia- Vietnam border treaty.

The defendant was taken from the Prey Sar prison to the courtroom by a prison van. During the court proceedings, dozens of protesters rallied outside the courthouse to demand his release.

Hong Sok Hour, 59, was caught red-handed on Aug. 15 in capital Phnom Penh, four days after he posted to Facebook a fake version of a border treaty signed between Cambodia and Vietnam in 1979.

The court charged him with falsifying a public document, using the falsified document, and inciting chaos to social security. Under the Kingdom's penal code, he could face up to 17 years in jail if convicted.

"After the full-morning hearing, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court decided to adjourn the trial to Oct. 7," defense lawyer Chuong Choungy told reporters.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said last month that the government's legal action against the senator was to avert social chaos, prevent a civil war and stop a potential conflict with Vietnam.

"This (senator's) act aimed at provoking anger among the people and causing a rift in national solidarity and unification, and creating hostility between nations that could cause serious chaos to social security if it had not been prevented in time," he said in a pre-recorded video, which was televised on the state-run TVK. Endi