37 court officials to be rotated

Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

37 court officials must rotate their positions, according to a royal decree dated 30 December 2007. The officials are ordered to fulfill their duties in tribunals along various provinces and municipalities in the country. The decree signed by King Sihamoni, orders 37 court officials, including tribunal presidents, vice-presidents, judges, prosecutors, and deputy prosecutors, to move to fulfill their positions at other locations in the country. The decree was issued following a recommendation made by the Ministry of Justice, and after receiving the agreement from the Supreme Magistracy Council (SMC) also, during a meeting held on 18 December 2007. A SMC official indicated in December, that the work rotation is a normal process for the court system, and these officials must be rotated from one place to another.

Council to Meet Over Judge Rotation

By Mean Veasna, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
11 December 2007

The Supreme Council of the Magistracy will meet next week to decide on rotations of court judges and other officials nationwide, in a decision that will affect at least a quarter of the judiciary and could stymie favoritism.

Judges who have worked for four years or more in one city or province will be moved to another, according to a source familiar with the proceedings, who spoke on conditions of anonymity.

The meeting will be held under the leadership of King Norodom Sihamoni—a constitutional monarch with few political powers.

The shuffle was hailed as a positive development by civic groups.

"This is a justice system reform, and can help in curbing corruption," said Sok Samoeun, executive director of the Cambodian Defenders Project.

Groups have called in the past for the Council to shift the judges, in order to prevent cronyism, he said. "After a while, provincial high-ranking officials become friends, and this can lead to bias."