Autistic Cambodian teen, jailed for online comments, freed

PHNOM PENH – An autistic Cambodian teen vowed Wednesday to proceed to combat for his father's state aft completing his ain situation condemnation for societal media comments captious of the authorities successful a lawsuit that has attracted planetary attention.

Kak Sovannchhay, 16, pumped his close limb successful the aerial saying “Long unrecorded Cambodia” to supporters portion hugging his parent aft helium walked retired of the Prey Sar situation connected the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

He clutched a bouquet of reddish roses and lilies tightly to his thorax and smiled shyly arsenic reporters snapped photos of him.

Kak Sovannchhay had been successful custody since June, erstwhile helium was arrested for comments helium made successful a Telegram chat radical defending his father, a elder subordinate of the absorption Cambodia National Rescue Party who is successful custody facing charges, and for sharing Facebook posts criticizing Prime Minister Hun Sen.

His father, Kak Komphear, has been successful detention since May 2020 and his mother, Prum Chantha, is simply a subordinate of the radical Friday Wives, who clasp protests to request the merchandise of their husbands who person been jailed for expressing views captious of Hun Sen’s government.

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Kak Sovannchhay told reporters that helium was excited to beryllium escaped but that helium would support defending his begetter and his beliefs.

“I won't stop,” helium said. “ I volition proceed my course.”

Hun Sen has been successful powerfulness for 36 years and has often been accused of heading an authoritarian authorities and utilizing the judicial strategy to stifle opposition.

United Nations quality rights experts person accused the Cambodian authorities of “weaponizing” its tribunal strategy successful Kak Sovannchhay's lawsuit to soundlessness dissent. U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia W. Patrick Murphy questioned the determination to condemnation “a kid to situation clip for what appears to beryllium politically motivated charges.”

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has defended its verdict, saying the teen had antecedently been successful occupation for online comments. It besides noted that his property was taken into information successful reducing his jailhouse time, and that it had received nary aesculapian confirmation of his autism during the proceedings and said that helium appeared to travel the proceedings.

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Human Rights Watch lawman Asia manager Phil Robertson said it was “absolutely outrageous and unacceptable that this autistic lad was arrested and imprisoned successful the archetypal place.”

"The lawsuit further deepens the reputational harm to Cambodia’s courts and prosecutors, who erstwhile again showed themselves bereft of immoderate consciousness of justness successful governmental cases prioritized by the government,” helium said successful an email to The Associated Press.

Kak Sovannchhay's proceedings concluded Oct. 13 but the tribunal lone announced its verdict past week, convicting him of incitement to perpetrate a felony and nationalist insult.

He was sentenced to 8 months successful situation but was released nether sentencing guidelines that see recognition for clip served.

His parent said adjacent though she is blessed that her lad is present free, she worries that the condemnation volition loom implicit him and that her lawyer is looking into an entreaty to support warring the charges.

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In the meantime, she said she plans to person him resume schoolhouse but has concerns.

“I don't cognize if helium volition beryllium harassed oregon not by different students erstwhile helium goes back,” she said.

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Rising reported from Bangkok.

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