Just the director, or is he a foreign spy?

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Yesterday, 31 August 2018, according to the British edition "The Guardian", Australian film director James Rickettson, a 69-year-old documentary filmmaker, was found guilty of preparing for the "color revolution" and espionage. The final sentence was a period of six years.

His relatives say that they are shocked by his conviction and the unjust, in their opinion, sentence, and called on the Australian government to put pressure on Cambodia to release it.



Ricketson himself has stated that he has been working as a journalist and documentarian in Southeast Asia since 1995 and was arrested in June 2017 (including for using controlled drone at a political rally). He has been imprisoned ever since and was convicted by three judges in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital.

Just the director, or is he a foreign spy?

Australian director James Rickettson in a police car after the end of the trial.


Cambodian prosecutors stated that Rickettson used his activities as a journalist only as a cover for spying for a foreign country, although he may not be a full-time professional intelligence officer. Prosecutors did not name the states with which he allegedly entered into a conspiracy.

The Australian documentary filmmaker who made films about poverty and financially supported poor Cambodians called the accusations of espionage and activities aimed at changing the current government put forward against him, "bizarre and ridiculous." His lawyer said that "James did a lot of good here , in this country, and has nothing to do with espionage. You can't be a spy for 22 years. ”

Before passing the sentence last Friday morning, Rickettson said: “I hope for justice and hope that today I will be free and be able to return home.” However, his hopes did not have to come true. Bim Ricketson, James’s nephew, said literally devastated by the news. He said that his uncle had been living in Cambodia for a very long time, the people of this country loved him very much and "simply cannot be a spy."


Night panorama Phnom Penh.


The director’s relatives are asking the Australian government to intercede for its citizen: “We look forward to what our government can do to help us at this moment. I’m sure it can do a lot, and I’m glad that its representatives are in contact with us."

The Rickettson family said that his health had deteriorated greatly during the 14 months spent in prison during pretrial detention, and that they “would be very concerned about his health in six years in such conditions; 6 years of a tropical prison is actually a death sentence for an 70 year old. "

Speaking in Jakarta, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government would be involved in the Rickettson case. New Australian Foreign Minister Marisa Payne said that her government will continue to provide the director with full consular assistance during this “especially busy time”. She said that he still has appeal routes that are still open to the Australian citizen. According to her, “Mr. Rickettson is subject to trial in accordance with Cambodian law and should now consider appealing the court’s decision using the ways open to him. The Australian government will consider what additional appropriate support we can provide after that.”


Acting Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen.


At the same time, the current Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who won a convincing election victory in July, and whom his opponents blame for being undemocratic, actually organized an attack on freedom of speech in Cambodia (a number of the most odious opposition newspapers were closed) radical journalists, etc.). However, over the past two weeks, Mr. Hoon has released about 20 political opponents imprisoned, which gave supporters of the Australian director hope for his amnesty.

Phil Robertson, deputy director of the well-known human rights organization Human Rights Watch for Asia, condemned the Australian government’s “overly peaceful and quiet approach” to Cambodia’s leadership in protecting its citizens, saying that this way was not only morally bankrupt, but also completely ineffective (interesting , he apparently calls on Australia to push her to the navy coast of Cambodia?).


Cambodian internal troops in the area of ​​the judicial quarter in Phnom Penh.


According to Phil Robertson, trials in Cambodia are characterized by excessive and unfounded accusations; prosecutors insisting on heavy charges with few evidence; Judges who follow the government’s policy, etc. “When it comes to conviction in a Cambodian court, it’s obvious that the judges generally do not need any facts. According to the deputy director of Human Rights Watch, from the very first day, James Rickettson was appointed a scapegoat Hong Sen's statement on the preparation of the so-called "color revolution", which is used as an excuse to suppress political opposition and critics of civil society.

However, the court of Cambodia so far sided with the prosecutors, recognizing the significance of the evidence and supporting the espionage charges against the Australian film director, but did not agree with the required prison term of 10 years, and sentenced James Rickettson to 6 years in prison.
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26 comments
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  1. +2
    2 September 2018 09: 24
    Just the director, or is he a foreign spy?
    I won’t sleep now. I’ll worry only about this shot.
    P / S Cambodians at least eat it with chopsticks wassat laughing
    1. +2
      2 September 2018 09: 48
      Well, of course they eat all crap, but Australian?! Hardly. hi
      1. +1
        2 September 2018 09: 52
        Something we have not been planted for a long time spies, but they are enough .. at least for the purpose of exchanging our citizens
        1. +3
          2 September 2018 10: 02
          Six years for preparing a coup (practically for preparing massacres and destroying the state’s economy) - the softness of Cambodian justice surprises me.
          1. +1
            2 September 2018 11: 16
            so he is 69 to him and this for the eyes if he survives the end of the term then he is lucky!
            1. +6
              2 September 2018 12: 27
              Quote: HMR333
              so he 69 him and this for the eyes if he lives to the end of the term, then lucky

              Especially if you remember what tropical prisons in Third World countries are like, it looks almost like a lifetime ...
  2. +3
    2 September 2018 09: 25
    And this director, who, the unreasonable child, did not know about the consequences, So now he will know what kind of fashion he is, to pretend to be a fool and make round eyes, but what for me?
  3. +9
    2 September 2018 09: 28
    for using a controlled drone at a political rally

    no FIG was a drone to indulge ... spies definitely! wassat
    1. +2
      2 September 2018 09: 45
      A Cossack misled!
    2. +3
      2 September 2018 11: 26
      Quote: Masya Masya
      no FIG was a drone to indulge ...

      Drone ??? belay
      Well, finally a pervert. sad
      Let his bugs bite. Yes
      hi
    3. +3
      2 September 2018 11: 52
      Quote: Masya Masya
      no FIG was a drone to indulge... spies definitely!
      ... lol good
  4. +5
    2 September 2018 09: 31
    That the Cambodian special services caught a mouse and "fell in love" without haste? ?? wassat A shpienit in favor of British or US is not necessary! !! fool A kangaroo would better talk about democracy imposed by force! !! negative
  5. +5
    2 September 2018 09: 33
    But how krivozashchitnichki how excited? They would first ride in the Donbass, admired the activities of banderlog! Mongers of the State Department!
    1. The comment was deleted.
      1. +3
        2 September 2018 09: 53
        Well, yes, like, one-way traffic! Barking only in the wind.
  6. +5
    2 September 2018 09: 33
    Here is a double-edged sword: it is quite possible that Ricketson did not wear "galoshes" at all and he was used, which is called "dark". Perhaps Ricketson was chosen as a "scapegoat", there were such cases, or maybe he really belongs to the "color revolution", they do not happen by themselves, and in this case, you don't need to guess who the customer is
    1. +1
      2 September 2018 11: 04
      Quote: vladcub
      There is a double-edged sword

      What can I say, in this case, the West is quietly silent, perhaps the evidence is really not disputable and there is nothing to say. And it is also possible that the Cambodians say that they can act the same with such methods as arrogant Saxons, there are precedents on the other side of the sea, the presumption of innocence has long been crammed away (by the way, this is absolutely traced all over the world) and in this case it’s why ...
    2. +5
      2 September 2018 12: 29
      Quote: vladcub
      There is a double-edged sword here: it is quite possible that Ricketson did not wear "galoshes" at all and he was used, which is called "dark".

      While it is difficult to say, even the court seems to have admitted that there is no direct evidence that this person was a career intelligence officer, and that it is extremely difficult to get them, but is it possible to be a successful "freelancer"?
  7. +1
    2 September 2018 09: 38
    A "Night panorama of Phnom Penh." what does it have to do with the article? belay
  8. +1
    2 September 2018 09: 42
    Ricketson: = Sentsov. Will they not try to compare ?.
  9. +1
    2 September 2018 09: 54
    including for using a controlled drone at a political rally

    Actually, in all countries, foreigners are prohibited from participating in rallies. Or in some other way to interfere in the politics of the country. So it serves this James Bond right.
    1. +5
      2 September 2018 10: 14
      Quote: Sergei Medvedev
      In fact, in all countries, foreigners are forbidden to participate in rallies.

      in the 70s, my team leader was on a long trip to Iran. somehow we walked around the city and accidentally stumbled upon a demonstration. they rushed to the nearest lane. Well, while they fled, they managed to see something.
      as the police appeared from under the ground, they began to disperse. they rushed into the loose .. the policeman catches up with the demonstrator, striking somehow on the back with a baton. he falls in the pose in which he fled. a police car drove up, threw demonstrators and drove away
      a few minutes and the street is quiet and smooth
  10. +3
    2 September 2018 09: 57
    Well, it’s a good idea to fool your head, even if he participated in the political life of a foreign country, even used a drone in political demonstrations. And here a little British crown is involved, which also covers its former colonies - Australia
  11. +4
    2 September 2018 10: 25
    I remember how not long ago the old Australopithecus threatened to sort it out with Russia, otherwise you understand ... she does not follow the instructions from Canberra ... Well, well. Now let him "train" in Cambodia, and we will see where he will send him from Phnom Penh.
  12. +2
    2 September 2018 10: 25
    Prosecutors did not name the state with which he allegedly entered into a conspiracy.

    Sorry, but I would have told everything ... laughing
    The death penalty in Cambodia was abolished in 1989 and prohibited by the 1993 Constitution (art. 32). Article 32 of the Constitution states: “All people have the right to life, liberty and personal security. There is no more death penalty. ”

    ps. Kim would have told everything, in absentia, before the trial .... Yes
  13. 0
    2 September 2018 12: 34
    there is no smoke without fire, it seems that the responsible American comrades instructed him to carry out certain actions
  14. +1
    2 September 2018 12: 44
    Got Game There will be time to think.

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