Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Cambodia court upholds lawmaker's conviction for defaming PM

Hun Sen has also warned government critics that they risked facing legal action if they called the country a "dictatorial regime"
PHNOM PENH, Oct 28 (AFP) - Cambodia's Appeal Court on Wednesday upheld the conviction of an outspoken opposition party lawmaker for defaming the country's powerful Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Mu Sochua of the Sam Rainsy Party was convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in August for defaming Hun Sen during an April press conference, in which she announced plans to sue the premier for allegedly insulting her.

The court also ordered her to pay more than 4,000 dollars in a fine and compensation to Hun Sen.

After a Wednesday appeal hearing, judge Seng Sivutha said the court decided to uphold the conviction, ruling that Mu Sochua did defame Hun Sen and "incited other women to hate" the premier.

But Mu Sochua told reporters she would appeal the case to the country's supreme court because the ruling was "totally politically motivated."

Her party also issued a statement denouncing the appeal ruling as "a mockery of justice."

"The Appeal Court, ignoring principles of fair trial, blindly affirmed the decision of the municipal court," said the statement.

The Cambodian administration has been heavily criticised by rights groups over the past year for launching a spate of defamation and disinformation lawsuits against critics and opposition members.

New York-based Human Rights Watch recently accused Hun Sen's government of aiming to silence political opposition and critics with a "campaign of harassment, threats, and unwarranted legal action."

Hun Sen has also warned government critics that they risked facing legal action if they called the country a "dictatorial regime".

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

The same result they will get. Once is enough.

I am not belonged to any political party. But, this is what a mediocre guy like me could say to SRP: The recent law suites between SRP members and CCP members make more harm than good to both parties and Cambodian people. While, Government may be under more pressure from human right groups and international community, Cambodian people may get less necessity aid. May be the most vulnerable party is SRP:

1. SRP may gain more international support, but, they don’t vote. They might get sympathy from people, but not enough for them to cast a vote for SRP.
2. The result of SRP’s law suits would have a serious side effect. People would have less motivation to stand up for justice after seeing SRP’s members lose repeatedly.
3. Last, but not least, SRP failed to use constraining time and resources on other more practical program.

An unnecessary move I could say.

Anonymous said...

wHAT THE FUCK WITH AH kWACH!

Anonymous said...

1:18AM

Circumstantial evidences prove that you are right, however SRP took a strong stance that benefits many aspects nationally and internationally.Attention to follow up and close monitoring from international communities will put the country on the right path. That makes so many cambodians proud. Mu Soc Hua lost the fight, but the cause will never loose.

neang SA

Anonymous said...

1:18AM are you a fool! What is more important than live loke a humanbeing? Cambodia need to know the basic of law!

Not to be stupid like ah Kwack Hun Xen or ah Tep Vong who get degree with no fucking education!

May lightning strike the evils!

Anonymous said...

She can always appeal to the Supreme Court.

Anonymous said...

AH HUN SEN IS A DICTATOR.

Anonymous said...

to ah hun sen mother fucker

Cambodia is a dictatorial regime.
are you going to sue me now?
fuck you mother fucker!

Anonymous said...

To 1:18

You seems to think that you are the smart guy who have all the answer.

There is a problem, you did not give out answer.

Tell us KI readers what would be the "resources on other more practical program"?

I bet you, yourself don't have one.

You just wanted to tell KI readers that you are smart.

This is what I think, you are a Khmer Rouge supporter.

To KI readers, am I right?

Anonymous said...

2:52am,
My comment may look stupid to you. However, I have my reasons to say so.

Most Cambodian people know that they have been mistreated and want a better Government. But, if you ask them for action, I bet, most of them would not respond. If you ask them who will win in the next election, they would say CCP.

Yes, outside supports are needed, but those supports always have limit. Inside supports are much more powerful. Inside supporters I mention here are not only poor and mistreated people, but also other groups as well. Changing people heart and mind is the most difficult job; but, it is the job of politician need to win.
SRP should better use of its scare resources.

Anonymous said...

5:11am,

There are practical programs. Recently, HRP want to merge with SRP. I don't know how much effort SRP have invest to make that happened. As far as I can see, there is not much focus on the merger as on law suits against CCP members. Most analyst agree that merger would a great benefit toward the next election.
The law suit has been done once. why deos SRP need two or three for the same known result. The first one establish enought to proof for international community attention.

Again, this is my opion. A stupid person also has opinion and his/her opinion deserves to be respected.

Anonymous said...

5:11am,

There are practical programs. Recently, HRP want to merge with SRP. I don't know how much effort SRP have invested to make that happened. As far as I can see, there is not much focus on the merger as on law suits against CCP members. Most analysts agreed that merger would a great benefit toward the next election.
The law suit has been done once. Why does SRP need two or three for the same known result? The first one established enough proof for international community attention.

Again, this is my opinion. A stupid person also has opinion and his/her opinion deserves to be respected.

Anonymous said...

Here is the usual political intimidation that mr hunsen likes to spit out of his asshole. This is old tactics that mr hunsin has used to threaten cambodian critics. Here's my challenge to you mr hunsen:

YOu are a former khmer rouge cadre; the khmer rouges are criminals, therefore you are a criminal

Anonymous said...

Disgrace Mu Sochua’s problem all along, is that she is trying to be a politician. She's not, never has been and quite obviously, never will be. She should have just been herself, provide alternative policies and show Khmer people what a great alternative MP opposition she would be. Instead, her foray into being a politician has been a disaster. She comes across as pretending to be something she's not. Now, her political career is on the line and herself also in the hot water.

While the nation is facing complex economic, social and environmental issues disgrace Mu Sochua tried to promote her political stunt, aimed to get media attention. If this wasn’t such a clear demonstration of her selfish pursuit of personal ambition it would be laughable. There is no doubt that Mu Sochua has no real regard for the best interest of the nation. She is driven solely by a desire to become a “Champion of Women or new Aung San Suu Kyi” by any means available to her, even if that has the potential to destabilize the country. Even worse she is going to appeal her case against Prime Minister Hun Sen to the Supreme Court despite the Appeal Court upheld her conviction as the verdict which has issued by the Phnom Penh municipal Court.

People of integrity admit their faults, make amends and are judged fairly...Disgrace Mu Sochua is lacking in integrity and common sense and tries to change Cambodia into her own world. As long as Cambodia’s Court doesn’t issue any verdict which is fitted for her political stunt, she will scream for the justice all day long.

No matter what she’s crying out to ask the US Congress to intervene with the Cambodian Parliament to re-instate her immunity back, but not much the US Congress can do. Indeed, she unabashedly criticized the Cambodian government and the Cambodian Parliament in front of US Congressmen on 10 September 2009, will put her even worst situation let alone ever get back her immunity.

Khmer Australian

Anonymous said...

5:11AM - you're dead wrong. If you think you're right, why go around asking others to say it. Only a maniac self-righteous person like you would do that.

Anonymous said...

10:17Am - You're right Hun Sen does spit shit out of his asshole like anyone else, but there are some people stupid enough to stand in the way rather than walk way.

My question to you: Cambodia society is corrupted from the top to the bottom, therefore you are corrupted from head to toes. Make sense? It's your logic.

Anonymous said...

correction: rather than walk away.

Anonymous said...

To Khmer Rouge supporters

Ah PPU aka Ah Anthony
Ah New Phally
Ah Khmer-Australian
Ah Khmer-in-Sydney
Ah Krama Man
Ah Thana
Ah Thes Meas
Ah Mercedez Benz (Identity Thief)
Ah Rorleay
Ah Aust 

You're supported the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime who is responsible for killing almost two million innocent Khmer peoples and counting.
Please do me a favor don't ever tell anyone that you are Khmer, because you make Khmer peoples look bad.