A court investigation into Roger William Graham, the owner of the Blue Mountain Cafe in Kampot province, will begin Monday, provincial court Chief Prosecutor Uk Kimsith said Sunday, adding that Graham could be summoned to the court for questioning.
Uk Kimsith also confirmed that defamation and false information lawsuits had been filed against Graham on Friday at the behest of provincial Governor Puth Chandarith.
In Chiva, Kampot province deputy police chief, said on Sunday he would wait to hear from the court before taking any action and confirmed that Graham had taken down his Web sites, www.euthanasiaincambodia.com and www.asian-hearts.com, which had encouraged foreigners to end their lives in Cambodia.
“I’ve taken down the Web site to make everyone more comfortable,” said Graham by telephone Sunday. “If that’s the main issue…it’s resolved,” he said.
“You’re going to die anyway, so why not in Cambodia,” the banner of www.euthanasiaincambodia.com read Sunday even though the text of the site had been removed.
“I retain the right to respond as necessary,” Graham said, when asked what he thought of the court charges. Although he declined to specify what the response might be, he mentioned the possibility of putting his Web site up again.
In a letter marked “release” and sent to reporters Saturday, Graham defended his right to “choose the time, place, and manner of my own death,” and argued that his Web site had sought to “empower people with freedom of choice.”
Graham reiterated previous statements that a pro-euthanasia policy could only help boost tourism in Cambodia.
“Euthanasia can only help promote Cambodia as a place where all are welcome to visit, to spend time and money,” he wrote. “To say [those who wish to die in Cambodia] are not welcome is to say to all that they may not be welcome.”
Graham said that he moved to Southeast Asia following the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.