Hun Sen slams foreign critics as "animals"

Phnom Penh (dpa) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday called some foreign critics "animals" and stood firm on his assertion that five human rights critics would have to face court despite earlier promises of a reprieve.

Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony just outside the capital in a speech broadcast on national radio, the premier accused his critics of ignoring the law in the interests of politics and claimed he had no power over the courts and so could not interfere in the case.

"Any foreigners, if you are not an animal, please talk about the law. Don't talk about politics," Hun Sen said in an apparent address to international donors and rights groups who have sought to put pressure on the government regarding the arrest of the men on defamation charges.

"You have asked me to drop the complaint. I am not the chief of the court. I cannot drop it and am unable to suspend (the cases). Now there are two possibilities. One, let the court sentence them, and then I will ask the king for a pardon for you...two, please be quiet."

He said an "anonymous analyst" based in Cambodia had advocated quiet as the better of the two choices.

Cambodian Center for Human Rights director Kem Sokha and his deputy Pa Nguon Teang as well as legal activist Yeng Virak were arrested and jailed pending defamation hearings over anti-government slogans which had allegedly appeared on a banner for International Human Rights Day on December 10.

Independent broadcaster Mom Sonando and teachers union head Rong Chunn were arrested last October after they were publicly critical of the government's new border agreement with Vietnam and are also charged with defamation.

All five were bailed earlier this month, four of them after a personal appeal from U.S. envoy Christopher Hill, and Hun Sen had said he would drop the cases, but on Monday he appeared to change his mind and said the cases would go ahead after some of the accused continued to be publicly critical of the government after their release.

The men face a year in jail on each count.

"Please choose your option. Some critics are animals. Kem Sokha, Pa Nguon Teang and Mom Sonando clearly understand about animals," he said.

"In Cambodia, if you want to become well known, they have to blast Hun Sen. Then if they are jailed they can have donors," he added.

Hun Sen has consistently said he will not bow to international pressure to drop charges in the spate of defamation suits and arrests of opposition figures which has also seen opposition leader Sam Rainsy sentenced to 18 months in jail in absentia for defamation against both Hun Sen and his coalition partner Prince Norodom Ranariddh and opposition parliamentarian Cheam Channy jailed for seven years for organizing an armed force.