Union leader Ath Thorn has been granted an Appeal Court appearance on July 1, in which he will argue against conditions that required him to pay $25,000 bail over an ongoing court case.

The Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers’ Democratic Union (C.CAWDU) president is due to appear on July 1 regarding bail terms he received for an incitement charge stemming from a strike at the SL Garment factory last year, attorney Kim Socheat said yesterday.

Thorn has argued that the court had no right to demand the $25,000, cash that he said was largely borrowed from C.CAWDU members. Bail conditions also ban him from leading any public events.

“They’re not allowed to [negate] the right . . . of trade union [leaders],” he said yesterday. “I believe the appeal court will drop [bail conditions].”

Incitement charges were laid against Thorn and union activist Pav Phanna in April, after SL security guard Sath Sophai filed a court complaint alleging that the two instigated violence amid the nearly four-month strike.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MOM KUNTHEAR