Prince Norodom Ranariddh, left, talks with Prime Minister Hun Sen during a blessing ceremony at the Royal Palace for King Norodom Sihamoni in 2004.No Return Without Royal Pardon: Ranariddh
By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
18 September 2008
Exiled Prince Norodom Ranariddh said Thursday he will not return to Cambodia without a royal pardon from King Norodom Sihamoni, despite a public invitation for him to return by Prime Minister Hun Sen earlier this week.
"I'm sincerely grateful to Samdech PM for his speech and for allowing me to return to Cambodia," the prince said in a text message sent to VOA Khmer from Kuala Lumpur. "I'll be back only AFTER the royal pardon [is] granted to me by HM the King."
Prince Ranariddh faces an 18-month prison sentence and a fine of $150,000 on a breach of trust conviction that was upheld by the Supreme Court in July. The suit was brought by Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhiek Bunchhay following the sale of the party's headquarters when Prince Ranariddh was the president.
The Norodom Ranariddh Party has requested a royal pardon from the king, but royal cabinet officials have said the king has sought agreement from Hun Sen.
Hen Sen said Wednesday the prince was free to return, but a spokesman said no request for the suspension of his guilty verdict had been made.
Norodom Ranariddh Party spokesman Suth Dina said Thursday the party was preparing another request to the prime minister to accept a royal pardon, but they were waiting to send the letter until after the new government swears in later this month.
The reluctance of the prince to return without a pardon follows correspondence with Hun Sen on Thursday.
The invitation to return was a show of "reconciliation," the prince wrote to Hun Sen on Thursday, but he did not say whether he would accept it.
Lao Monghay, a researcher at the Asian Human Rights Commission, said the invitation of Hun Sen to suspend the prince's guilty sentence was an extrajudicial, political step outside the mandate of the executive branch of the government.
Without a royal pardon, the prince must serve at least two-thirds of his sentence before it can be suspended by law, Lao Monghay said.
"I'm sincerely grateful to Samdech PM for his speech and for allowing me to return to Cambodia," the prince said in a text message sent to VOA Khmer from Kuala Lumpur. "I'll be back only AFTER the royal pardon [is] granted to me by HM the King."
Prince Ranariddh faces an 18-month prison sentence and a fine of $150,000 on a breach of trust conviction that was upheld by the Supreme Court in July. The suit was brought by Funcinpec Secretary-General Nhiek Bunchhay following the sale of the party's headquarters when Prince Ranariddh was the president.
The Norodom Ranariddh Party has requested a royal pardon from the king, but royal cabinet officials have said the king has sought agreement from Hun Sen.
Hen Sen said Wednesday the prince was free to return, but a spokesman said no request for the suspension of his guilty verdict had been made.
Norodom Ranariddh Party spokesman Suth Dina said Thursday the party was preparing another request to the prime minister to accept a royal pardon, but they were waiting to send the letter until after the new government swears in later this month.
The reluctance of the prince to return without a pardon follows correspondence with Hun Sen on Thursday.
The invitation to return was a show of "reconciliation," the prince wrote to Hun Sen on Thursday, but he did not say whether he would accept it.
Lao Monghay, a researcher at the Asian Human Rights Commission, said the invitation of Hun Sen to suspend the prince's guilty sentence was an extrajudicial, political step outside the mandate of the executive branch of the government.
Without a royal pardon, the prince must serve at least two-thirds of his sentence before it can be suspended by law, Lao Monghay said.
12 comments:
The real king of Cambodia is nobody but HUN SEN.Sihamony is just piece of stone or robot elevated to the throne by CPP to make everything for CPP look legitimate.
If i were RANARITH ,i will not return after been so humiliate to that level by HUN SEN , but RANARITH is shameless.
Make no mistake, HUN SEN is the law of the land ,even he's an idiot .Just listen to his speech ,you can feel that he's in no way a true stateman.
It's a nice photo by KI: Ar Kwak and Ar Kwen.
Ranarith is a rubish politician.
He is addictive with vagrant prostitutes.
Many uneducated Cambodians have been cheated by him during the recent election. He is a NATO, No Ation, Talk Only. Curse, greedy, vulva are his professional skills. Because he hold a rubish Ph.D from France. He is a vagrant without real shelter.
He should stay away from politics, otherwise poverty will haunt Cambodian people.
Ranarith is a symbol of corruption, war, and poverty.
Why royal pardon has not been granted to others, like two fake prisoners (Bon Samnang and Sok Samoeun)who were accused to kill Mr. Chea Vichea.
Royal pardon has been granted to only members of the royal family?
Is it fair?
Where is Human Rights?
Sdach Ay ott amnach.
Ah Kwang thom cheang sdach.
To be fair to all khemara, the King Sihamoni should pardon to all Cambodian too.
So far he has never pardoned to anyone. So he should stand with his position.
K. serey
He's afraid Hun Sen is going to say: "Well Khamm!"
(Khamm in Khmer).
Or Hun Sen might say in Khmer:
"Sva Kum! (Kum-kuon)
Bang! Bang!
Chet reuy!
Rannaridh is a piece shit. He shall be death by hanging or dragging behind a car.
Sihanouk should adop Hun Sen as his kid and get rid of Rannaridh. Rannaridh is full of shit.
Roum RITH Au lieu de penser pour les biens des Khmers , on voit bien la nullite de tous ces gens , personnellemnt je m'en fou comme on dit ROYALEMENT , mais ont ils un tout petit grain dans leur cerveau pour faire les biens à ces Khmers Ils sont tous on ne dit pas plus pire mais pire négatif que les hyènes les plus vils de la terre Que le bon Dieu pardonne à ces pauvres esprits Merci
THe PhD in Law Ranarith is a AH CHKE Dog Thok Teap. You are woth nothing. You come to lick Hun Sen 's buttock.
Without you Cambodia can move ahead.
Ah kwack country has no law but shit! Ah kwach son is stupid just like his fuck-t-up farher! AH Hanoi PHD!
Why Ranarith is still on the news? He is a burden and embarrasment to Khmer, and his family, those he is not the only one in the family that embarraset the his family and the nation. Well I am guitly as charged for writing this question and the comment...but could not held it.
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