PHNOM PENH, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Cambodia's parliament voted on Monday to remove the immunity of opposition leader Sam Rainsy, a step likely to fuel concern the government is using its power to intimidate opponents.
It was the third time this year parliament, dominated by Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP), has removed the immunity of members from the biggest opposition party.
Lawmakers from the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) boycotted the vote to lead a march of more than 300 people as the house paved the way for courts to impeach Rainsy over a controversial publicity stunt on the border with Vietnam on Oct. 25.
Rainsy, currently in Europe, is charged with misconduct when he encouraged villagers evicted from border land after a demarcation exercise to uproot wooden posts set along the newly agreed frontier with Vietnam.
"The National Assembly has lifted the immunity of Sam Rainsy, who committed an act of destruction ... and convinced people to commit criminal acts," the house said in a statement, adding that 87 of 122 lawmakers voted against Rainsy.
Journalists were barred from attending the house session and police prevented the boycotting lawmakers from returning after the vote.
Rights groups and international donors have accused the government in recent months of using the courts to muzzle opponents and the media.
SRP spokesman Yim Sovann said the government was abusing its power and acting undemocratically.
"The government wants to silence the opposition when it is helping the people," he told reporters.
"These people are losing land day by day because of the border demarcation. This is an injustice and a big step backwards for democracy in Cambodia."
Last month Cambodia's parliament passed laws limiting protests to less than 200 people and tightened defamation legislation at a time when Hun Sen and his powerful associates were already using the courts to stifle criticism.
The CPP has defended the defamation laws, which it said "protected the dignity and reputation" of the country's leaders.
Analysts say that despite the concerns there is little threat to Hun Sen or his party, which won a landslide election victory last year.
(Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Alan Raybould and Jerry Norton)
It was the third time this year parliament, dominated by Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP), has removed the immunity of members from the biggest opposition party.
Lawmakers from the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) boycotted the vote to lead a march of more than 300 people as the house paved the way for courts to impeach Rainsy over a controversial publicity stunt on the border with Vietnam on Oct. 25.
Rainsy, currently in Europe, is charged with misconduct when he encouraged villagers evicted from border land after a demarcation exercise to uproot wooden posts set along the newly agreed frontier with Vietnam.
"The National Assembly has lifted the immunity of Sam Rainsy, who committed an act of destruction ... and convinced people to commit criminal acts," the house said in a statement, adding that 87 of 122 lawmakers voted against Rainsy.
Journalists were barred from attending the house session and police prevented the boycotting lawmakers from returning after the vote.
Rights groups and international donors have accused the government in recent months of using the courts to muzzle opponents and the media.
SRP spokesman Yim Sovann said the government was abusing its power and acting undemocratically.
"The government wants to silence the opposition when it is helping the people," he told reporters.
"These people are losing land day by day because of the border demarcation. This is an injustice and a big step backwards for democracy in Cambodia."
Last month Cambodia's parliament passed laws limiting protests to less than 200 people and tightened defamation legislation at a time when Hun Sen and his powerful associates were already using the courts to stifle criticism.
The CPP has defended the defamation laws, which it said "protected the dignity and reputation" of the country's leaders.
Analysts say that despite the concerns there is little threat to Hun Sen or his party, which won a landslide election victory last year.
(Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Alan Raybould and Jerry Norton)
4 comments:
what a dumbass he deserves it
RFA asked Xam RainXy a simple question that "Will he come back to Cambodia to face the Court if Parliament lift his immunity?". He didn't answer the question but at the same he tried to say something which irrelevant to the question, aim to cover up his coward act. What is a funny politician?
Since he pulled off the six poles near Vietnam's border, he always says all along that he doesn't afraid at all if the government sues him, but right now, he can't even step his foot in Cambodia.
As I am often said that Xam RainXy is brave only in front of microphone but in real life, he likes a rat runs around asking other people to help him whenever his political stunt get backfire.
Xam RainXy should go to Thailand and asks his ally (Abhisit and PAD) for helping him.
Khmer in Sydney
motherfucker all ah Run Tass Bann Cppp.
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Tortures
Brutality
Executions
Massacres
Mass Murder
Genocide
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Slavery
Force Labour
Overwork to Death
Human Abuses
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Attempted Murders
Attempted Murder on Chea Vichea
Attempted Assassinations
Attempted Assassination on Sam Rainsy
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Executions
Executed members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders
Murdered Chea Vichea
Murdered Ros Sovannareth
Murdered Hy Vuthy
Murdered Khim Sambo
Murdered Khim Sambo's son
Murdered members of Sam Rainsy Party.
Murdered activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Murdered Innocent Men
Murdered Innocent Women
Murdered Innocent Children
Killed Innocent Khmer Peoples.
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Brutalities
Police Brutality Against Monks
Police Brutality Against Evictees
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Abuses
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Illegal Arrest
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and other military officials were on board.
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Removed Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country.
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Use Dead people's names to vote for Cambodian People's Party.
Disqualified potential Sam Rainsy Party's voters.
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
Abuse the Laws
Abuse the National Election Committee
Abuse the National Assembly
Violate the Laws
Violate the Constitution
Violate the Paris Accords
Impunity
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Death in custody.
Under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed crimes against journalists, political opponents, leaders of the Free Trade Union, innocent men, women and children have ever been brought to justice.
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