DPA
Phnom Penh - Cambodia's Appeal Court on Wednesday upheld the fine levied by a lower court on opposition parliamentarian Mu Sochua in her legal wrangle with Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Mu Sochua, a prominent member of the Sam Rainsy Party and a former minister of women's affairs, lost a defamation case brought by Hun Sun earlier this year.
She had originally sued Hun Sen for defamation after comments made by him in 2008 that she said referred to her. The courts threw out her case but allowed the prime minister to countersue on the basis that her lawsuit had defamed him.
Hun Sen won his case in early August with the lower court fining Mu Sochua around 4,100 US dollars.
Mu Sochua told the German Press Agency dpa that she was disappointed by Wednesday's verdict.
'The Appeal Court did not take this opportunity to prove to the people of Cambodia as well as to the world that they had the chance, but did not take the chance, to fix the irregular and bad image that the judicial system has in the eyes of the public,' she said.
Mu Sochua, who was present in court, said proper procedure was followed, but insisted that she was disadvantaged because she could not find a lawyer to represent her.
Her attorney in the original case quit and joined Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party after he came under intense political pressure and was threatened with disbarment for representing her.
'I will file to the Supreme Court to have today's decision rejected,' she said. 'I am not guilty of any crime. I will not pay the fine and no one else will pay the fine.'
The case against the opposition legislator was one of several brought this year by the Cambodian government as it moved controversially against its perceived critics in politics, media and civil society.
Mu Sochua, a prominent member of the Sam Rainsy Party and a former minister of women's affairs, lost a defamation case brought by Hun Sun earlier this year.
She had originally sued Hun Sen for defamation after comments made by him in 2008 that she said referred to her. The courts threw out her case but allowed the prime minister to countersue on the basis that her lawsuit had defamed him.
Hun Sen won his case in early August with the lower court fining Mu Sochua around 4,100 US dollars.
Mu Sochua told the German Press Agency dpa that she was disappointed by Wednesday's verdict.
'The Appeal Court did not take this opportunity to prove to the people of Cambodia as well as to the world that they had the chance, but did not take the chance, to fix the irregular and bad image that the judicial system has in the eyes of the public,' she said.
Mu Sochua, who was present in court, said proper procedure was followed, but insisted that she was disadvantaged because she could not find a lawyer to represent her.
Her attorney in the original case quit and joined Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party after he came under intense political pressure and was threatened with disbarment for representing her.
'I will file to the Supreme Court to have today's decision rejected,' she said. 'I am not guilty of any crime. I will not pay the fine and no one else will pay the fine.'
The case against the opposition legislator was one of several brought this year by the Cambodian government as it moved controversially against its perceived critics in politics, media and civil society.
4 comments:
The Cambodian people, by and large support Madame Mu Sochua.
We first have to know that CPP is a communist gov; not royalist as we see.
United to fight the communist regime first.
There is no law or freedom within the communist gov.
We must stop these gangsters and the YN dogs.
Regroup and fight !!!
May be the royal is fuckup too!
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
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