Cheam Channy - Revision history

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	== 2005 arrest ==		== 2005 arrest ==
	On 3 February 2005, a vote in the Cambodian National Assembly removed the [[parliamentary immunity]] from Cheam, fellow MP Chea Poch and party leader [[Sam Rainsy]]. Rainsy and Poch, both facing possible charges of [[Defamation#Criminal\|criminal defamation]], left the country. Cheam did not leave and was arrested later the same day by military police. He was charged by the Cambodian [[military tribunal\|Military Court]] with the criminal offences of Organised Crime and Fraud, as well as a [[military law\|military charge]] of disobeying orders. These charges relate to accusations that Cheam had created an illegal army for the SRP.<ref>{{cite web \|url=~~http~~://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4235951.stm \|title=Sam Rainsy appeal on Cambodia \|date=4 February 2005 \|publisher=BBC News \|~~accessdate~~=8 July 2012}}</ref> Cheam appealed by letter to Prince [[Norodom Ranariddh]], but the prince responded that he could not intervene in judicial matters.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.voanews.com/khmer-english/news/a-40-2005-08-05-voa2-90142527.html \|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205205228/http://www.voanews.com/khmer-english/news/a-40-2005-08-05-voa2-90142527.html \|url-status=dead \|archive-date=5 February 2013 \|title=Ranaridh Can't Help Cheam Channy \|date=5 August 2005 \|publisher=Voice of America \|accessdate=8 July 2012}}</ref>		On 3 February 2005, a vote in the Cambodian National Assembly removed the [[parliamentary immunity]] from Cheam, fellow MP Chea Poch and party leader [[Sam Rainsy]]. Rainsy and Poch, both facing possible charges of [[Defamation#Criminal\|criminal defamation]], left the country. Cheam did not leave and was arrested later the same day by military police. He was charged by the Cambodian [[military tribunal\|Military Court]] with the criminal offences of Organised Crime and Fraud, as well as a [[military law\|military charge]] of disobeying orders. These charges relate to accusations that Cheam had created an illegal army for the SRP.<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4235951.stm \|title=Sam Rainsy appeal on Cambodia \|date=4 February 2005 \|publisher=BBC News \|access-date=8 July 2012}}</ref> Cheam appealed by letter to Prince [[Norodom Ranariddh]], but the prince responded that he could not intervene in judicial matters.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.voanews.com/khmer-english/news/a-40-2005-08-05-voa2-90142527.html \|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205205228/http://www.voanews.com/khmer-english/news/a-40-2005-08-05-voa2-90142527.html \|url-status=dead \|archive-date=5 February 2013 \|title=Ranaridh Can't Help Cheam Channy \|date=5 August 2005 \|publisher=Voice of America \|accessdate=8 July 2012}}</ref>

	Cheam was brought to trial on 8 August 2005, after courts exhausted the maximum six months allowed by Cambodian law for pre-trial detention. In his defense, Cheam stated, "I have never recruited or appointed anyone in an army structure, nor have I taken money from anyone ... I am pleading with the court to set me free. I have never done anything even close to what the charges against me say."<ref name=BBC88>{{cite web \|url=~~http~~://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4130858.stm \|title=Military court tries Cambodia MP \|date=8 August 2005 \|publisher=BBC News \|~~accessdate~~=8 July 2012}}</ref> The prosecutor argued that Cheam's actions had endangered national security.<ref name=BBC88 /> The following day, the Military Court sentenced Cheam to 7 years imprisonment.<ref name=VOA /> [[Amnesty International]] criticized the trial, stating that it "fell far short of international standards for fairness and failed to produce any evidence to corroborate the charges against him".<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/155/ \|title=Cambodia: Opposition leader convicted in flawed trial \|date=23 December 2005 \|publisher=Amnesty International \|accessdate=1 August 2012 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308124305/http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/155/ \|archive-date=8 March 2013 \|url-status=dead }}</ref>		Cheam was brought to trial on 8 August 2005, after courts exhausted the maximum six months allowed by Cambodian law for pre-trial detention. In his defense, Cheam stated, "I have never recruited or appointed anyone in an army structure, nor have I taken money from anyone ... I am pleading with the court to set me free. I have never done anything even close to what the charges against me say."<ref name=BBC88>{{cite web \|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4130858.stm \|title=Military court tries Cambodia MP \|date=8 August 2005 \|publisher=BBC News \|access-date=8 July 2012}}</ref> The prosecutor argued that Cheam's actions had endangered national security.<ref name=BBC88 /> The following day, the Military Court sentenced Cheam to 7 years imprisonment.<ref name=VOA /> [[Amnesty International]] criticized the trial, stating that it "fell far short of international standards for fairness and failed to produce any evidence to corroborate the charges against him".<ref>{{cite web \|url=https://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/155/ \|title=Cambodia: Opposition leader convicted in flawed trial \|date=23 December 2005 \|publisher=Amnesty International \|accessdate=1 August 2012 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308124305/http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/155/ \|archive-date=8 March 2013 \|url-status=dead }}</ref>

	== International response ==		== International response ==

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{{short description|Cambodian politician}}
{{family name hatnote|Cheam|Channy|lang=Cambodian}}
{{Infobox MP
|honorific-prefix =
|name = Cheam Channy
|native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|km|ជាម ច័ន្ទនី}}}}
|honorific-suffix =
|image =
|constituency_MP = [[Battambang Province]]
|parliament = 
|majority = 
|term_start = 1998
|term_end = 2005
|predecessor = 
|successor = 
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1961|2|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Kingdom of Cambodia (1953–70)|Cambodia]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|10|25|1961|2|15|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Cambodia]]
|death_cause = [[Brain tumor]]
| nationality = [[Cambodia]]n
|party= [[Sam Rainsy Party]]
| other_names =
| known_for =
| occupation = Politician
}}

'''Cheam Channy''' ({{langx|km|ជាម ច័ន្ទនី}}; 15 February 1961 – 25 October 2018)<ref name=UN>{{cite web |url=http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/wgad/39-2005.html |title=Mr. Channy Cheam v. Cambodia, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, U.N. Doc. A/HRC/4/40/Add.1 at 7 (2006). |date=2006 |publisher=United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention |accessdate=8 July 2012}}</ref><ref>[https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/former-opposition-lawmaker-channy-dies-aged-57 Former opposition lawmaker Channy dies aged 57]</ref> was a [[Cambodia]]n [[politician]] and member of parliament for the opposition [[Sam Rainsy Party]] (SRP). He was elected as a representative for [[Battambang Province]] in the 1998 National Elections, then again for [[Kampong Cham Province|Kompong Cham]] province in 2003.

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}

== 2005 arrest ==
On 3 February 2005, a vote in the Cambodian National Assembly removed the [[parliamentary immunity]] from Cheam, fellow MP Chea Poch and party leader [[Sam Rainsy]]. Rainsy and Poch, both facing possible charges of [[Defamation#Criminal|criminal defamation]], left the country. Cheam did not leave and was arrested later the same day by military police. He was charged by the Cambodian [[military tribunal|Military Court]] with the criminal offences of Organised Crime and Fraud, as well as a [[military law|military charge]] of disobeying orders. These charges relate to accusations that Cheam had created an illegal army for the SRP.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4235951.stm |title=Sam Rainsy appeal on Cambodia |date=4 February 2005 |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=8 July 2012}}</ref> Cheam appealed by letter to Prince [[Norodom Ranariddh]], but the prince responded that he could not intervene in judicial matters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.voanews.com/khmer-english/news/a-40-2005-08-05-voa2-90142527.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205205228/http://www.voanews.com/khmer-english/news/a-40-2005-08-05-voa2-90142527.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 February 2013 |title=Ranaridh Can't Help Cheam Channy |date=5 August 2005 |publisher=Voice of America |accessdate=8 July 2012}}</ref>

Cheam was brought to trial on 8 August 2005, after courts exhausted the maximum six months allowed by Cambodian law for pre-trial detention. In his defense, Cheam stated, "I have never recruited or appointed anyone in an army structure, nor have I taken money from anyone ... I am pleading with the court to set me free. I have never done anything even close to what the charges against me say."<ref name=BBC88>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4130858.stm |title=Military court tries Cambodia MP |date=8 August 2005 |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=8 July 2012}}</ref> The prosecutor argued that Cheam's actions had endangered national security.<ref name=BBC88 /> The following day, the Military Court sentenced Cheam to 7 years imprisonment.<ref name=VOA /> [[Amnesty International]] criticized the trial, stating that it "fell far short of international standards for fairness and failed to produce any evidence to corroborate the charges against him".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/155/ |title=Cambodia: Opposition leader convicted in flawed trial |date=23 December 2005 |publisher=Amnesty International |accessdate=1 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308124305/http://www.amnesty.org.au/news/comments/155/ |archive-date=8 March 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== International response ==
The arrest and detention of Cheam met with widespread international condemnation. [[Peter Leuprecht]], the special representative of the [[United Nations Secretary-General]] for human rights in Cambodia, called the trial unfair and called for Cheam's release.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asiademocracy.org/content_view.php?section_id=1&content_id=563 |title=UN human rights official calls for release of Cambodia's opposition MP |date=9 July 2012 |publisher=Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia |accessdate=8 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410103025/http://www.asiademocracy.org/content_view.php?section_id=1&content_id=563 |archivedate=10 April 2012 }}</ref> The [[U.S. State Department]] listed the case in a report on "Arbitrary Arrest or Detention" and noted that "international and local NGOs widely criticized Cheam Channy's arrest and detention as illegal under criminal law".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61604.htm |title=Cambodia |date=8 March 2006 |publisher=U.S. State Department |accessdate=8 July 2012}}</ref> Amnesty International declared him to be a [[prisoner of conscience]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/latest-victories/prisoner-of-conscience-cheam-channy-released-in-cambodia |date=6 February 2006 | title = Prisoner of conscience Cheam Channy released in Cambodia|publisher=Amnesty International |accessdate=8 July 2012}}</ref> [[Human Rights Watch]] described the charges against Cheam and other parliamentarians as "a thinly-veiled effort by Cambodia's ruling parties to eliminate their political opponents", and objected to the use of a military court to try a civilian.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/en/news/2005/02/06/cambodia-opposition-politicians-arrested-forced-flee |title=Cambodia: Opposition Politicians Arrested, Forced to Flee |date=7 February 2005 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |accessdate=8 July 2012}}</ref> On 1 February 2006, the [[European Parliament]] adopted a resolution calling on the Cambodian government to unconditionally release him.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.voanews.com/khmer-english/news/a-40-2006-02-01-voa2-90143912.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205173202/http://www.voanews.com/khmer-english/news/a-40-2006-02-01-voa2-90143912.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 February 2013 |title=The European Parliament Asks the King and PM Hun Sen to Pardon Mr. Cheam Channy |date=1 February 2006 |publisher=Voice of America |accessdate=8 July 2012}}</ref> The [[United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention]] declared Cheam's imprisonment "arbitrary" and "in contravention of article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights".<ref name=UN/>

== Royal pardon ==
On 2 February 2006, King [[Norodom Sihamoni]] reduced Cheam's sentence from seven years' imprisonment to three years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.voanews.com/khmer-english/news/a-40-2006-02-02-voa1-90152547.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205182651/http://www.voanews.com/khmer-english/news/a-40-2006-02-02-voa1-90152547.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 February 2013 |title=King Reduces Cheam Channy's Sentence|author=Khemara Sok |date=2 February 2006 |publisher=Voice of America |accessdate=8 July 2012}}</ref> Four days later, Cheam received a full royal pardon, and was released from prison.<ref name=VOA>{{cite web |url=https://khmer.voanews.com/a/a-40-2006-02-05-voa1-90152622/1357842.html?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=redirect&utm_source=voacambodia |title=King Pardons Sam Rainsy and Cheam Channy |author=Khemara Sok |date=5 February 2006 |publisher=Voice of America |access-date=8 July 2012}}</ref> The U.S. State Department praised the pardon, calling it a "positive turn".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2006/78769.htm |title=Cambodia |date=6 March 2007 |publisher=U.S. State Department |accessdate=8 July 2012}}</ref>

== Death ==
Cheam died on 25 October 2018. He had been suffering from a [[brain tumour]] that had subsequently spread to his intestines.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vichea |first1=Pang |title=Former opposition lawmaker Channy dies aged 57 |url=https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/former-opposition-lawmaker-channy-dies-aged-57 |accessdate=26 October 2018 |work=Phnom Penh Post |date=26 October 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheam, Channy}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:2018 deaths]]
[[Category:Amnesty International prisoners of conscience held by Cambodia]]
[[Category:Cambodian prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:Members of the National Assembly (Cambodia)|Channy, Cheam]]
[[Category:Recipients of Cambodian royal pardons]]
[[Category:Candlelight Party politicians]]
[[Category:Deaths from brain cancer in Cambodia]]
[[Category:People from Battambang province]]