VOA慢速英语2014 三名柬埔寨土地维权人士被判刑

 

Three Cambodian Activists¹ Sentenced to Prison 三名柬埔寨土地维权人士被判刑

A court in Cambodia has sentenced three more activists to a year in prison. The sentences were announced just a day after the three activists were arrested. They were found guilty of disturbing – interfering² with – public order on Wednesday. They were charged for a protest they held in support of seven land rights activists on Tuesday. The seven were protesting flooding at a major development in the capital, Phnom Penh.

Trials in Cambodia are rarely completed as fast as these hearings.  The accused usually wait weeks or longer before their cases go to a full trial. It is not known why the activists’ cases have been speeded up, or if this is evidence of a government campaign against dissent³. Government officials have not commented on the cases.

In other news, the opposition⁴ Cambodia National Rescue Party is demanding release of one of its members. Officials arrested Meach Sovannara for his reported involvement in violent protests in July. He once worked as a reporter for Radio Free Asia.

Officers questioned Meach Sovannara for two hours on Tuesday before his arrest. He is accused of taking part in a major protest outside Freedom Park on July 15th.

That protest became violent after demonstrators turned against security officers. The incident led to a political deal between the opposition and the ruling party.

Meach Sovannara faces up to 15 years in prison for taking part in the demonstration⁵ and supposedly inciting⁶ violence there. His lawyer, however, told the Cambodia Daily newspaper that the opposition has video evidence to prove his innocence⁷. The lawyer says the video shows him calling for protesters to reject violence.

Words in this Story

activists – n. people who campaign for some kind of social change

inciting – v. causing someone to act in an angry, harmful or violent way

avoid – v. to stay away from someone or something

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

3 dissent   

n./v.不同意，持异议

参考例句：

• It is too late now to make any dissent.现在提出异议太晚了。
• He felt her shoulders gave a wriggle of dissent.他感到她的肩膀因为不同意而动了一下。

4 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

5 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

6 inciting   

刺激的，煽动的

参考例句：

• What are you up to inciting mutiny and insubordination? 你们干吗在这里煽动骚动的叛乱呀。
• He was charged with inciting people to rebel. 他被控煽动民众起来叛乱。

7 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。