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Cambodia pardons Australian film-maker James Ricketson Cambodia pardons Australian film-maker James Ricketson
(35 minutes later)
An Australian filmmaker jailed for espionage in Cambodia has received a royal pardon and been released, less than a month after he was sentenced to six years in prison in a case observers criticised as a farce.An Australian filmmaker jailed for espionage in Cambodia has received a royal pardon and been released, less than a month after he was sentenced to six years in prison in a case observers criticised as a farce.
James Ricketson, 69, was sentenced in late August after he was arrested in June last year after he flew a drone over a rally held by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue party (CNRP), which was effectively banned months later. James Ricketson, 69, was arrested in June last year after he flew a drone over a rally held by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue party (CNRP), which was effectively banned months later. Ricketson was sentenced in late August.
“Convict James Stanforth Ricketson is pardoned,” said the royal decree, which was signed by the acting head of state, Say Chhum. “Convict James Stanforth Ricketson is pardoned,” said the royal decree, which was signed by the acting head of state, Say Chhum. It said the request for the pardon had come from the country’s prime minister, Hun Sen.
It added that the request for the pardon came from the country’s prime minister, Hun Sen. Ricketson‘s lawyer Kong Sam Onn confirmed he had been released and was now with his family. Ricketson’s son Jesse said the family was “relieved and excited” to have him back.
Ricketson‘s lawyer Kong Sam Onn confirmed he had been released and was now with his family. “It has been a really tough 16 months and I’m just kind of in shock now,” Jesse said, expressing gratitude to Cambodia’s king, Norodom Sihamoni, for “bringing this nightmare to an end”.
His son Jesse said the family was “relieved and excited” to have Ricketson back. A six-day trial – which featured a surprise appearance by the Hollywood director Peter Weir, who served as a character witness for his friend – ended with the court convicting Ricketson of “espionage and collecting harmful information that could affect national defence”.
“It has been a really tough 16 months and I’m just kind of in shock now,” Jesse said, expressing gratitude to Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni for “bringing this nightmare to an end”. The prosecution had accused Ricketson of working as a filmmaker in Cambodia for years as a front for espionage, but the verdict did not mention for which country he was alleged to have been spying. Human Rights Watch called the trial proceedings a “ludicrous charade”.
The six-day trial – which featured a surprise appearance by the Hollywood director Peter Weir, who served as a character witness for his friend – ended with the court convicting Ricketson for “espionage and collecting harmful information that could affect national defence”. A series of activists and opposition lawmakers were freed in the weeks after July’s national election, which critics have said was neither free nor fair.
The prosecution had accused Ricketson of working as a filmmaker in Cambodia for years as a front for espionage, but the verdict did not mention the country that he was allegedly representing as a spy. The CNRP was dissolved in the lead-up to the poll, stamping out the only real competition faced by Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s party. The CPP took all 125 parliamentary seats.
Human Rights Watch called the trial proceedings a “ludicrous charade”. After the vote Hun Sen, who has been in power for more than three decades, returned to a pattern of easing up on dissent.
Ricketson‘s release came after a series of activists and opposition lawmakers were freed in the weeks after July’s national election, which critics have said was neither free nor fair. Cambodia
The CNRP was dissolved in the lead-up to the controversial poll, stamping out the only real competition faced by Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s party. It paved the way for all 125 parliament seats to be filled by his party.
After the vote Hun Sen – who has been in power for more than three decades – returned to a pattern of easing up on dissent.
Ricketson’s pardon comes just a few days before Hun Sen was scheduled to travel to New York to attend the United Nations general assembly.
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