DPA
Phnom Penh - Supporters of self-exiled Prince Norodom Ranariddh said Friday they had not given up hope of a royal pardon over his conviction for breach of trust, which was upheld by his last avenue of appeal, the Supreme Court, last month.
Petitions to his half-brother King Norodom Sihamoni had flooded in from opposition groups and political parties appealing for the king to grant him a pardon, Norodom Ranariddh Party spokesman Muth Chantha said by telephone.
Chantha's comments followed a speech by Prime Minister Hun Sen widely published in local newspapers Friday in which he reiterated the prince must return and serve two thirds of his 18-month sentence.
'The king has the full right to grant amnesty to the prince for his conviction, and we appeal to the king directly,' Chantha said. 'We do not need to ask the government.'
Ranariddh's former Funcinpec party ousted him as president in October 2006 and then sued him, accusing him of embezzling some 3.6 million US dollars from the sale of the party headquarters that year.
He was convicted and sentenced in absentia the following year by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. The highest court in the land upheld the sentence July 30.
Supporters of the prince, including those from the self-named party he subsequently established, claim the charges are politically motivated and he should be allowed home from exile in Malaysia.
However Hun Sen has said he will stand firm, and the prince will have to serve time in one of Cambodia's notoriously stark prisons and will not escape punishment.
The palace has made no comment on the issue.
Petitions to his half-brother King Norodom Sihamoni had flooded in from opposition groups and political parties appealing for the king to grant him a pardon, Norodom Ranariddh Party spokesman Muth Chantha said by telephone.
Chantha's comments followed a speech by Prime Minister Hun Sen widely published in local newspapers Friday in which he reiterated the prince must return and serve two thirds of his 18-month sentence.
'The king has the full right to grant amnesty to the prince for his conviction, and we appeal to the king directly,' Chantha said. 'We do not need to ask the government.'
Ranariddh's former Funcinpec party ousted him as president in October 2006 and then sued him, accusing him of embezzling some 3.6 million US dollars from the sale of the party headquarters that year.
He was convicted and sentenced in absentia the following year by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. The highest court in the land upheld the sentence July 30.
Supporters of the prince, including those from the self-named party he subsequently established, claim the charges are politically motivated and he should be allowed home from exile in Malaysia.
However Hun Sen has said he will stand firm, and the prince will have to serve time in one of Cambodia's notoriously stark prisons and will not escape punishment.
The palace has made no comment on the issue.
5 comments:
Yes, I agree on the principle that, not because you are a prince, even you commit mistake you won't have to go to jail. Let Ranaridh tast Prey Sar is not a bad idear if he want to be a better leader. In terms of national security, he is the one who ruine the power balancing between the the " LIBERATOR" and the "AGRESSOR". Now the real heros who liberate Cambodia from Vietnam invasion become puppet of the Vietnamese-agressor. Ranaridh is the turning point in modern Khmer History.Tons of nationalist Khmer blood has been wasted in the western border in exchange for his personal childish blindfull endless ambition. He deserves to be in jail to pay the price and better stay there forever.
11:28PM, SALUTE YOUR COMMENT!!!
Back to year 1993 Cambodia's election under supervised of UN. FUNCINPEC win the said election and entitled to form the government by its own. But it never happened because CPP didn't accept the election result.King Father was only one who solved the mentioned deadlock . His Majesty try to persuade HE.Hun Sen and HE. Chea Sim to form a coalition government with HRH.Norodom Ranariddh. At first the Prince himself didn't agree with King Father and wanted to form the ruling government by himself alone. Finally the Prince had to accept the agreement otherwise the unrest situation would be occured.Cambodia became the first country in the world which have co-primeministers.
We can see that HE.Hun Sen never follow the procedure of the election of democracy system when he lost the 1993.He beg King Father to help him gain power again.
I beg Samdech Hun Sen to agree
of grant amnesty to Sdech Krom Peah for his conviction from the King.
Nobody can do no wrong.
From the latest election,proof that Samdech Hun Sen is a strongman of Asia. Strongman like
Samdech would be much more perfect
if you could be able to forgive to all Khmers under your lead.
p_cha27@yahoo.com
To 4:00
We don't know Ranaridh more than the King which is the father.The King must know that his son was incapable to run the country tha's why he wanted to handle Cambodia by his own hands.
On the other hand, Royal family feud is a no surprise for all Khmers.
Please Rannaridh, quit it. You are no politician. Stay where you are, you already won, won puccy.
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