An opposition activist questioned yesterday over allegations that he participated in an "insurrection" last year has claimed his innocence, saying he "did nothing" but was abused by security guards anyway. San Kim Heng, one of 11 activists and lawmakers of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, was questioned throughout yesterday over his alleged role in a protest near the capital's Freedom Park that turned violent on July 15. Judge Lim Makaron grilled Kim Heng at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, inquiring about his motives and actions on that day, including why he went to a location closed by the government and what he did while participating in the demonstration. "I just joined, I did nothing," Kim Heng said. "As one of the people, I just asked to have Freedom Park opened." Additionally, he told the court that he was beaten two or three times by security personnel at the scene while he was helping an old lady who was pulled from her motorbike. "I saw security guards tearing[protest signs], and when people told them to stop, they beat the people," he continued. Makaron asked whether Kim Heng had fought back against the security guards, and the activist maintained that he only used his hands to push back the guards and had no weapons on him at the time. Deputy prosecutor Keo Socheat then asked him if he had witnessed any CNRP lawmakers giving speeches on the day of the demonstration. Kim Heng denied seeing any speeches, claiming that he had heard rallying cries from the distance and that any speeches were over by the time he had arrived at the protest. Accompanied by his lawyer, Choung Choungy, CNRP Information Department head Meach Sovannara, who also appeared in court but was not questioned yesterday, told reporters after the session that he was dissatisfied with the drawn-out nature of the proceedings. "[We], the accused, are upset. Such a trial is a waste of time," he said. "My passport was confiscated, so going abroad is impossible. We are sad that we have not gotten freedom yet." Still, Sovannara said he would remain patient. He called on leaders of the ruling Cambodian People's Party, as well as CNRP members, to fully engage in the "culture of dialogue" between the two parties and resolve the case speedily. Choungy echoed his client's sentiment. "It affects the rights of my clients, and my aim as a lawyer is to finish this case, because when it is concluded, all my client's rights are guaranteed," he said. The trial of the 11 CNRP members has been postponed until June 3. UPDATE: 10/ 06/ 2015 More grilled on park violence Three more opposition activists were questioned yesterday in connection with an alleged uprising following the disputed 2013 general election, as lawyers for the accused aired anger over what they considered biased questions. Sum Puthy, Neang Sokhun and An Paktham faced judge Lim Makaron and deputy prosecutor Keo Socheat at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court over their alleged role in the "insurrection" on July 15, 2014, in which citizens and activists took to the street to demand the capital's Freedom Park be reopened. The demonstration turned violent when protesters fought back against Daun Penh district security guards, who had terrorised demonstrations for months, leaving 39 people injured. The inquiries mainly focused on why those involved joined the protest in the first place; who led the demonstration; and what roles Cambodia National Rescue Party lawmakers Mu Sochua and Ho Vann played on the day in question. "I just went to watch[the protest]," Puthy told Makaron. "I did not join. I did not hold anything[weapons]." The judge continued, asking Puthy whether he heard attendees making speeches through megaphones or if opposition supporters were also wielding weapons like some security personnel were. "They were beating each other," Puthy said, adding that both security personnel and plainclothes civilians were wielding weapons, though not many civilians he saw were carrying bats. Puthy also told the court that he saw people running in a nearby garden, some of whom were wearing helmets and holding weapons. Socheat then proceeded to grill Sokhun, asking whether or not Sochua and Vann were present at the demonstration. "I saw them joining in, but I did not see them doing anything," Neang Sokhun claimed. After the hearing, Sam Sokong, one of the lawyers for the activists, told reporters that the session was biased, saying that his clients may not be given justice based on how they were approached. "If we consider the answers of all the accused, we see that the evidence and their answers[indicate] that they[did] not lead an insurrection or join an insurrection," he said. Nine of 11 accused activists have already been summonsed in connection with the case. Next Wednesday, two more activists - Meach Sovannara and Tep Narin - are scheduled to be questioned in the same case. Many, however, have skipped their questioning sessions, with lawmakers citing their parliamentary immunity and busy work schedules as reasons. Some have called on the government to end the case in light of the recent cosying of ties between the opposition and the ruling Cambodian People's Party. UPDATE: 22/ 07/ 2015 Freedom Park 11 jailed Eleven opposition activists, including a US citizen, were handed lengthy prison sentences yesterday for their roles in a protest at Phnom Penh's Freedom Park last year that turned violent and left dozens injured. In a decision that came as a surprise to many, judge Lim Makaron ruled that the Cambodia National Rescue Party members were guilty of trying to foment an "insurrection" by taking part in a demonstration led by CNRP lawmakers at the public square on July 15, 2014. "The 11 activists were sent to jail after the lawyers boycotted the trial today," Sam Sokong, lawyer for the defence, said after the ruling. He added that the lawyers had boycotted the proceedings because the court had called for the trial to resume on a daily basis. "The court did not listen to the lawyers and continued the trial.... They moved quickly and decided to issue a guilty verdict," he said. Meach Sovannara, a Cambodian-American and head of the CNRP's information and media department, was convicted of "leading an insurrection" and sentenced to 20 years in jail. CNRP activists Oeur Narith and Khin Chhumroeun, the president of the party's youth wing, received the same sentence. Eight other party activists were sentenced to seven years for joining the "insurrection". Observers have long asserted that the case against Sovannara and the other activists was being used by the ruling Cambodian People's Party to exert pressure on the opposition during the long negotiations over new laws governing elections. In April, the activist was released on bail just hours after the formation of the new National Election Committee - a key part of the negotiations - leading some to express optimism that the case would be thrown out amid a "culture of dialogue" between Prime Minister Hun Sen and CNRP president Sam Rainsy. Thirty-nine security personnel and at least six protesters were injured when opposition demonstrators turned on a group of notoriously violent Daun Penh district security guards at the July protest following a scuffle between the rally-goers and the advancing guards. The main contingent of the guards quickly retreated as the protesters fought back, leaving several ill-equipped guards among them to suffer the full force of the CNRP supporters' rage, pent up over months of violent crackdowns on opposition protests. Sokong yesterday said that his clients should have been afforded more time to seek additional legal assistance before a sentence was passed. "The court seemed to hatch a plot to close this case[yesterday] even though there were no lawyers present," he said. "If lawyers boycott the court, it must give them more time." The case has been heard intermittently since December, with questionable evidence presented to the judge, according to rights groups. Jamie Meach, Sovannara's wife, who resides in the US, said yesterday that she had lost all confidence in the Cambodian justice system and would now seek urgent consular assistance from the US Embassy and from Washington if her husband wants to leave Cambodia. "I relied on the lawyers and the court in Cambodia, but I have lost hope. So I must seek intervention from this side, but I don't know if he will be able to come back[to the US] or not," she said. "If he wants to come back, I will seek help from the US Embassy and US Congress, because he is an American national. If he wants to come, it will be OK." Judge Makaron could not be reached for comment. CNRP spokesman Yem Ponharith declined to comment on the decision, saying the party's "culture of dialogue" with the CPP "is in the interests of the Khmer people". Rainsy, who last night left for a three-week trip to France, did not respond to a request for comment by press time. Phay Siphan, Council of Ministers spokesman, said the detente between the two parties could not be allowed to interfere with the judge's decision, because political leaders "do not have superiority over the courts". Local advocacy group Licadho decried yesterday's proceedings as "a show trial with a predetermined ending, apparently set up only to intimidate the CNRP", and called for the verdicts to be overturned.