Award-winning journalist Mech Dara’s lawyer, Duch Piseth, filed a request at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on October 28 to retrieve Dara’s possessions following his release on bail last week.
Piseth told CamboJA News that he hopes the court will consider returning his client’s personal belongings such as his wallet with his national ID card, ATM card, money and two smartphones.
“We have submitted the request to the court to urge the investigating judge to check and decide to give back the evidence that was taken [by the police] to him [Dara],” Piseth said.
Piseth also said the court has not dropped the incitement charges against Dara and that he is still under the court probation. Nevertheless, he hopes the court will return the items to his client.
Piseth’s next step is to “look for a way” to submit a request to the court to drop the charges.
Mech Sereyroth, Dara’s younger sister, is looking forward to the court giving back her brother’s belongings.
She said even though Dara was released a few days ago, his overall wellbeing was not good yet. He is still ill and cannot sleep well.
“He is not better yet, mentally and physically, after falling ill in prison. He is still taking medicine for his illness,” Sereyroth told CamboJA News.
She hopes that the court will drop the incitement charges and process the case without delay. She is not sure what the outcome would be, but she and her family hope for a charge drop. “I have a strong feeling that the court will drop my brother’s charge,” she added.
Dara was released on bail from Kandal provincial prison on October 24, following his public apology to Prime Minister Hun Manet and Senate president Hun Sen for posting false information on social media five times.
Dara’s release coincided with a visit by USAID Head Samantha Power to Cambodia. Power posted about his release on X, welcoming the news.
“Today, we welcome the news of Mech Dara’s return home to be with his family. We continue to seek a quick and fair resolution to his ordeal,” Power wrote.
Although Dara was released on bail, he is under court supervision and must comply with four conditions. They are, he cannot leave Cambodia, change his residence without permission, must respond to summons issued by authorized and competent officials, and report to Psar Deum Thkov Police Post once every four weeks.
Dara was arrested on September 30 by officers of the Royal Gendarmerie while returning from a holiday with his family in Preah Sihanouk province. He was taken to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court the next day where he was charged with incitement and sent to pretrial detention at Kandal Provincial Prison.
