Written by Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post
Mu Sochua says she will take the PM to court for defamatory remark.
Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Mu Sochua said she plans to sue Prime Minister Hun Sen in a municipal court after he called her cheung klang, or "strong leg", in a speech in Kampot on April 4, she announced Thursday at a press conference in Phnom Penh.
Mu Sochua said that, although she respects Hun Sen as the head of government, she wants him to be held responsible for his insults and is asking for a symbolic 500 riels ($0.12) in damages, which she plans to keep in her cupboard drawer.
SRP lawyer Kong Sam Onn said that Hun Sen was not above the law and could be sued for defamation under a 2006 amendment of the 1992 Untac Law. The original legislation says, "Any bad faith allegation ... which harms the honour or reputation of an individual is a defamation."
Kong Sam Onn added that Hun Sen would be unable to deny his words because they were recorded and said publicly.
"I respect Samdech Hun Sen," Mu Sochua said. "I still remember Samdech's words from when I was minister of women's affairs. Samdech always glorified women and said they should be in political affairs."
Nontheless, she says she wants to maintain her honour as a Khmer woman.
"Samdech's statement, which said that I am a ‘strong leg' female, could be translated many different ways," Mu Sochua said. "Samdech stated in public that I was a skilled troublemaker and that I ran to embrace a man and lost a button on my shirt on purpose," she said. "This is defamation on me as Khmer woman."
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith could not be reached for comment on Thursday, but Hun Sen's top adviser and president of the Cambodian Human Right Committee, Om Yentieng, told the Post that he welcomed Mu Sochua's court case but that the court's decision would be final.
"We welcome that she files to the court and follows the law. But whatever the court decides ... we would like her to follow," Om Yentieng said.
Run Saray, the executive director of Legal Aid of Cambodia, said the verdict should be based on the accuracy of Hun Sen's statement.
"I think that if [Hun Sen's] accusation is really true, then the case is not sustainable. But if it's false, then it's sustainable," he said, adding that if the courts remain impartial then Mu Sochua's case has a chance.
"This depends on the courts. If they are impartial, maybe it will succeed. But if they are not independent, [the case] may fail."
International support
Mu Sochua has received support from a number of international figures following the remarks by Hun Sen.
Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues, wrote a letter on her behalf saying she and her organisation V-Day were proud supporters of Mu Sochua and worried that she was targeted "because she is an outspoken woman who bravely advocates for her people".
Ensler demanded that Mu Sochua be allowed to "serve safely and freely".
The board of directors of the Global Fund for Women, the Wellesley Centre for Women and the Vital Voices Global Partnership also wrote strong letters in support of the SRP lawmaker.
The Global Fund for Women letter, sent to Hun Sen, urged him to make a full apology for his statements and promised to bring Mu Sochua's abusive and defamatory treatment to the attention of the international community.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SEBASTIAN STRANGIO
Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Mu Sochua said she plans to sue Prime Minister Hun Sen in a municipal court after he called her cheung klang, or "strong leg", in a speech in Kampot on April 4, she announced Thursday at a press conference in Phnom Penh.
Mu Sochua said that, although she respects Hun Sen as the head of government, she wants him to be held responsible for his insults and is asking for a symbolic 500 riels ($0.12) in damages, which she plans to keep in her cupboard drawer.
SRP lawyer Kong Sam Onn said that Hun Sen was not above the law and could be sued for defamation under a 2006 amendment of the 1992 Untac Law. The original legislation says, "Any bad faith allegation ... which harms the honour or reputation of an individual is a defamation."
Kong Sam Onn added that Hun Sen would be unable to deny his words because they were recorded and said publicly.
"I respect Samdech Hun Sen," Mu Sochua said. "I still remember Samdech's words from when I was minister of women's affairs. Samdech always glorified women and said they should be in political affairs."
Nontheless, she says she wants to maintain her honour as a Khmer woman.
"Samdech's statement, which said that I am a ‘strong leg' female, could be translated many different ways," Mu Sochua said. "Samdech stated in public that I was a skilled troublemaker and that I ran to embrace a man and lost a button on my shirt on purpose," she said. "This is defamation on me as Khmer woman."
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith could not be reached for comment on Thursday, but Hun Sen's top adviser and president of the Cambodian Human Right Committee, Om Yentieng, told the Post that he welcomed Mu Sochua's court case but that the court's decision would be final.
"We welcome that she files to the court and follows the law. But whatever the court decides ... we would like her to follow," Om Yentieng said.
Run Saray, the executive director of Legal Aid of Cambodia, said the verdict should be based on the accuracy of Hun Sen's statement.
"I think that if [Hun Sen's] accusation is really true, then the case is not sustainable. But if it's false, then it's sustainable," he said, adding that if the courts remain impartial then Mu Sochua's case has a chance.
"This depends on the courts. If they are impartial, maybe it will succeed. But if they are not independent, [the case] may fail."
International support
Mu Sochua has received support from a number of international figures following the remarks by Hun Sen.
Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues, wrote a letter on her behalf saying she and her organisation V-Day were proud supporters of Mu Sochua and worried that she was targeted "because she is an outspoken woman who bravely advocates for her people".
Ensler demanded that Mu Sochua be allowed to "serve safely and freely".
The board of directors of the Global Fund for Women, the Wellesley Centre for Women and the Vital Voices Global Partnership also wrote strong letters in support of the SRP lawmaker.
The Global Fund for Women letter, sent to Hun Sen, urged him to make a full apology for his statements and promised to bring Mu Sochua's abusive and defamatory treatment to the attention of the international community.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SEBASTIAN STRANGIO
31 comments:
We are behind you 100% Mrs. Sochua. It is the only way to change Cambodia from tyranny. True democracy should be one system for all; anyone can be sued and hold accountable for their action. In this case it happens to be Cambodian Prime minister. He must learn to respect his people. Thank you for taking the first step... and not to forget we are behind you 100%.
Bastard Hun xen is only strong to his Khmer people,but he is a wet mouse when dealing with outsiders, what a stupid son of a bitch
that's right, sue him for what he's worth - 500 riels $0.12. His brain and his head value about that much.
Whatever worth is not the case. The case is that Hun Sen can be guilty and be suied by the others, too.
. . .let's bring him to the public hearing. Let him talk about the laws he knows, so Khmer people can hear how the dubious Ph.D, the well-deep educated, describe it.
បើហុនសែនមិនឲ្យពួកអ្នកឯងប៉ុន្មាននាក់នឹងនៅ
ស្រុកខ្មែរតើពួកអ្នកឯងហានធ្វើអ្វីលោកហុនសែន?
ពួកអ្នកឯងប៉ុន្មាននាក់ហ្នឹងធ្វើឲ្យស្រុកខ្មែរក្រឡាប់
ចក្រអស់ហើយ!ឬក៏អ្នកឯងចង់ឲ្យខ្មែរមានសង្រ្គាមទៀត?បើដួច្នោះមែនពួកអ្នកឯងក៏រស់ពុំបានសុខដែរ!
Red-Ant wants to see The Excellency multiple Ph.D. Hun Sen handles in the court of law.
Let's see the show
Red-Ant.
Hun Sen is not the sole owner of Cambodia! He'll soon be kicked to hell so he can join Hok and later Heng to follow.
We are human beings. We were born by females, and most of us die because of females, too.
Remember that, from Red-Ant.
I know none of born from a man.
mr.11:31pmតើមានមនុស្សប៉ុន្មាននាក់ទៀតដែលមានខួរក្បាល
ដូចលោក? ចំជាមហាយ៉ាប់មែនទែន៕
11:31PM,
The ones who have made Cambodia and her people suffer this far are not the decent people. They are the Pol Pot's including King Sihanouk and the Hun Sen's including you. As long as there are a lot of dumb people like you to support Hun Sen, the cocky and arrogant and ill-bred, Cambodian people will never get better, because the Hun Sen's and you are the leeches sucking the Khmer blood.
heha,hee,hee. The moron is a dime!
We all lied, because we ignored the true.
Cambodian Town
Long Beach, Ca
This event was true about MP Sochea Mu, during her last campaign in Kampot Province, there is no secret, many people acknowledge, so they can express their opinions. Therefore, MP Sochea Mu not in herself to make people believe that she was Cambodian hero.
This is an opportunies for the court to destroy MP Sochea Mu's credit one for all, all for one in her own strategies. Otherwise, MP Mu Sochea still have time to drop the case befere it get complicat. She should remember even her ex boss Prince Norodom Ranariddh has no chance versu Samdech Decho Hun Sen.
New Phally
Secretary of State for Ministry of Interior and Adviser for first Vice President National Assembly
mr. secretary of state/advisor,
you are correct. even your top bosses at ministry of interior and the office of the 1st vice president national assembly would get samdech decho's army surrounded their houses and have their khmer passports suspended the moment they try to say anything bad about samdech decho. you are so smart, mr. secretary of state, advisor, you!!!
hey, someone has gotten to be a dragon lady, even cambodia has one!
The suit will be HUN SEN'S ultimate embarrassment.The case is very clear and precise.He undermine a woman.If the court decide not to take the case then the court itself is a joke and will become a laughing stock for sure.And worse,if the court decide in Ms SOCHUA's favor then the judge will be in trouble loosing his job.Well, my suggestion to you Mr PM,next time try to avoid confronting woman.You will never win.
Dear Ms. Mu Sochu,
Just want to let you know that if are willing to sue that Kwack hun sen, the vietcong slave, then you will have support from the members of a new generation, including your most famous young friend that you hope one day you will meet...
So ho ahead and do it, you`ll have the support of Theary Sen and others too.
Let guess:
The most very high likely the Court will find nothing woring with PM defamation words and threw case away. Case Closed.
If this is the way, at the bold eyes of perpenticular abyss, one would say hun sen will laugh. But At the glance of virtue serenity behold thou your words, one would proclaim scrupulous of dignity. So MP would gain her gallant moment of true in the light of devil scrupple shed nothing.
In contemplation envived to propell on the ground base accusation of words, the intrigued alternative involved with deep sorrow of one thought to be mastermind of manipulation of ihs/her own characters. But for this case, thou would arguable pointed to the true meaning of self proclaim of respect or fall into condemnation.
So be ware of next time, you may not konw words will come to hunt you.
you clowns that are claiming equality for women blah blah blah and freedom of speech and whatnot....
why would anyone sue the PM? isn't it HIS RIGHT to say what he wants? doing he have the right like the cock sucker Sam Rainsy and Mu Sochua to say what his opinion is? just like any opposition members?
open you eyes, not just your mouth. the real world, ever since the big bang, has been a dog eat dog world. only the fittest survive. that should go for politics also. if you can't handle it, get the fuck out.
what i was saying in my earlier post was that if Mu Sochua (and women in general) wants to be treated fair, claiming equality and all thir bullshit in politics, she should expect the same treatment and treated like equal. since when do you hear any male politicians complaining about defamation because of a few words about a loose button on his shirt?
want equality, expect equal treatment. what mu sochua is suing for is special treatment for her because she is a women. please... if you can't handle being treated and talked to equally as men, go back to cooking and sucking cock.
feel free to contact me at +855 81 800 700.
would love to hear the cries from this one...
3:53 AM
You sound someone very well educated person. You don't need to be rough to other people or a woman.
She is fighting a lossing battle. She is not going to win. Not wise.
Win or not is OK, as long as a woman has enough courrage to fight a fool who has been thinking himself the great of all to the more foolish. This is not 100 years ago: the young generation's got to be brave enough to express their opinion and fight back the most corrupted.
I think Mr. secretary thing is barking to defend his master; otherwise, when he goes to visit Cambodia next time, Hun Sen will punish him for not barking. Learn , dude, if you are living in America. I have so far seen a lot political clown living in Long Beach become more dumb and behave more worse than than they were in Cambodia 20 years ago. They have learned none, but act as if they were gangsters.
Congratulations Ms Mu Sochua!
As a woman you've always been trying to protect other women dignity and now it's your turn to protect your honour against the worst kind of scoundrel. Nobody dare touch him until now. Rememeber this ill-bred had treated the bloodthirsty Xi ha nouk and his family worse than a dog.
Mu Sochua oh Mu Sochua,
When will you show your true face? Its all about the votes, the power isn't it? When it is all said and done, will you do what you claim to 'believe in'? or is it more about the vote and clouding our minds with false hope of senseless opposition bullshit that Sam Rainsy shits out?
HUN Sen never said Mo Ju Youn(Vietnamese Sour Soup) publicly.
But he can said anything Khmer people against him publicly.
Sue him for pocket change.
Will Hun Sen come to court of law?
If a man can't lead; let's a woman show him how...
how can she when she is busy crying in court over a few insults? how can she be in politics and behave like such?
Don't forget mr hun sen was a khmer rouge. he only knows how to pull triggers; but when it comes to defending cambodia from the viets and siems, hes a coward.
Post a Comment