Spokesperson of Phnom Penh Municipal Court of First Instance has issued a press release clarifying the court’s sentence for a juvenile.
The full press release released yesterday evening reads as follows:
“Spokesperson of Phnom Penh Municipal Court of First Instance, has the honour to inform the public that the accused namely Kak Sovanchhay, male, 17-year-old Cambodian national, has been charged with incitement that provoke serious social unrest and insults committed in Cambodia in 2021 and another one was on June 23, 2021, the commission was criminal offenses, that shall be punishable following the Art. 494 and Art. 495 and Art. 502 of the Penal Code of the Kingdom of Cambodia, in the criminal case No. 2503, dated June 25, 2021, of Phnom Penh Municipal Court of First Instance. On Nov. 1, 2021, the court conducted a hearing and was considering carefully the interests of the juvenile and sentenced the accused namely Kak Sovanchhay to half of the sentence of imprisonment as he is a juvenile, and this sentence is to be carried out only in part of the imprisonment, the rest shall be put under suspended sentence with parole, but require the prisoner to comply with some certain measures. This prisoner shall be released on November 8, 2021 after serving 4 months and 15 days in the prison, then return him to his guardian for further education, instruction and take good care.
In the past, this person has committed once of similar act. The person has also been advised by the authorities, without being charged against him in the court because he was a juvenile who committed the crime for the first time, however, he still did not change his bad behaviour therefore there is action taken against him for second time of his offense.
In particularly, there was a claim that he has autism, but of course there was the personal claim without any reasonable proof, no medical certificate and previous record of medical treatment and no medical examination certificate. The court had been viewing his physical condition and inquired about his general understandings, his health was found normal like many other juveniles’ health which contrary to the claim of his family.”
