Monday, 27 April 2009
Written by Meas Sokchea and Sebastian Strangio
The Phnom Penh Post
SRP leader Mu Sochua says ready to fight case in court
GOVERNMENT officials have warned that Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Mu Sochua could face legal action and a possible suspension of her parliamentary immunity following last week's announcement she would sue Prime Minister Hun Sen for defamation.
Om Yentieng, one of Hun Sen's advisers and president of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee, told Cambodian media Friday that government lawyers would countersue Mu Sochua and that ruling party MPs would meet to suspend her immunity if the court found she was at fault.
Om Yentieng could not be reached for comment Sunday.
But Mu Sochua said Sunday her lawsuit would be filed at Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday and that she was unconcerned about the government's response.
"I am not scared about Hun Sen countersuing me, but I would like the courts to remain independent in this case. I have enough proof about what Hun Sen said about me," she said.
"If I lose in the court and parliament strips my immunity, I would like them to strip Hun Sen's immunity as well because he is also a people's representative involved in the same case," she said.
Mu Sochua and her lawyer Kong Sam Onn announced Thursday that she would sue Hun Sen for defamation for calling her cheung klang, or "strong leg" - a term that she says is especially offensive towards women - during a speech in Kampot on April 4.
Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said government lawyers were discussing what action to take against the Kampot province MP, adding that her lawsuit was being used to attract sympathy from abroad.
"Mu Sochua's action is designed to bring outside pressure on Cambodia," he said.
But Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, said the threat to lift Mu Sochua's immunity undermined parliamentary guarantees that allow lawmakers to speak out forcefully on behalf of their constituents without fear of legal repercussions.
"[This] is nothing but an attempt to silence everybody, and it is a very clear example of just how the government responds to criticism," he said.
GOVERNMENT officials have warned that Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Mu Sochua could face legal action and a possible suspension of her parliamentary immunity following last week's announcement she would sue Prime Minister Hun Sen for defamation.
Om Yentieng, one of Hun Sen's advisers and president of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee, told Cambodian media Friday that government lawyers would countersue Mu Sochua and that ruling party MPs would meet to suspend her immunity if the court found she was at fault.
Om Yentieng could not be reached for comment Sunday.
But Mu Sochua said Sunday her lawsuit would be filed at Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday and that she was unconcerned about the government's response.
"I am not scared about Hun Sen countersuing me, but I would like the courts to remain independent in this case. I have enough proof about what Hun Sen said about me," she said.
"If I lose in the court and parliament strips my immunity, I would like them to strip Hun Sen's immunity as well because he is also a people's representative involved in the same case," she said.
Mu Sochua and her lawyer Kong Sam Onn announced Thursday that she would sue Hun Sen for defamation for calling her cheung klang, or "strong leg" - a term that she says is especially offensive towards women - during a speech in Kampot on April 4.
Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said government lawyers were discussing what action to take against the Kampot province MP, adding that her lawsuit was being used to attract sympathy from abroad.
"Mu Sochua's action is designed to bring outside pressure on Cambodia," he said.
But Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, said the threat to lift Mu Sochua's immunity undermined parliamentary guarantees that allow lawmakers to speak out forcefully on behalf of their constituents without fear of legal repercussions.
"[This] is nothing but an attempt to silence everybody, and it is a very clear example of just how the government responds to criticism," he said.
9 comments:
Yes, it's a fair deal, isn't it? Will Hun Sen be brave enough to do so? I don't think so; anyway, I admire your courage, Mrs. Mu and I wish you best luck.
Hun Sen has abused the power for so long. It's about time for him to face a challenge by a brave woman. This woman does not care if she's strip off ammunity or her position while a lot male politcal clowns are very obsequious for position or power.
It sound so silly when some fools called Hun Sen Tevada or liberator which he's actually is a devil or a trator. He is a traot because he and his comrads had signed an agreement with the Yuon to make them a big concession before the Yuons invaded Cambodia. The concession consists of: 1- allowing the Yuons to robb and rape our nation, to allow the Yuons to chop parts of our motherland along the border.
2. Created K-5 to kill more innocent Khmers for serving the Yuons purposes, ect.
correction:traitor
could someone here explain more about " K-5 " ?
Now Hun Sen also afraid of UN tribunal in Cambodia to further extent its investigation into KR's matter. HUN SEN was a junior KR officer and could be indict for war crime. HUN SEN got really paranoid that UN is still funding the tribunal.
He had abused so much toward Cambodian citizen.
KhmerPride,
K-5 or Kar-5 in Khmer,
This mass killing field was created by YOUN when they first entered Srok Khmer.
When all those Khmer Rogue fled to the border of Thailand they have planted a lot of land mines in a certain zone. K-5 was forcing our Khmer to died under YOUN hanoi. They have sent our young Khmer to die for them. First, the YOUN gaining by clearing the logs for them, second one stone 2 birds theory. They are happy to see Khmer continue kill Khmer. I heard K-5 killed at least 100,000 to 250,000 in addition after KR's killing. This was done by Hun Sen that listened to YOUN.
Khmer Border,
This lady Mu really has some guts. I wish Sam Rainsy is like that.
I have heard about this so called k5 plan. It was created by the viet and used by the communist hun sen regime after the viet invaded cambodia. under this plan, khmer people living in cambodia in the 1980s were forced to relocate to the border areas where they were killed by landmines. Some died from disease such as malaria. This was another wave of killing that could have been prevented had mr hun sen stood up to the viets. But mr hun sen rather serves his viet boss, letting khmer people suffer.
Does her party have enough voice to do so? Only 26? Just crazy. She know not well about democracy.
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