Opposition leader Sam Rainsy (Photo: Pring Samrang, Cambodge Soir Hebdo)17 June 2008
By Alain Ney and Leang Delux
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Following a lawsuit brought by Hor Namhong, the minister of Foreign Affairs, against the SRP leader, the judge said that he has sufficient evidence to move the case to the prosecution.
Latest news to date in the difference opposing Hor Namhong, the minister of Foreign Affairs, and Sam Rainsy: in a letter dated Tuesday 17 June, the office of the prosecutor of the Phnom Penh municipal court asks the president of the National Assembly (NA), through the ministry of Justice, “to suspend the immunity” of the opposition MP.
This request follows the defamation and disinformation lawsuit brought up by Hor Namhong on 22 April, after Sam Rainsy made a declaration, at Choeung Ek Memorial on 17 April, about Hor Namhong’s role in the Boeng Trabek jail, during the KR period.
At the end of the preliminary investigation, the prosecutors said that he has enough evidence to launch the prosecution aiming at suspending Sam Rainsy’s parliamentary immunity.
On the other hand, Sam Rainsy remains calm. “This is not possible, this is the election season, it’s only a political threat. I am not concerned, but this case goes too far,” he reacted over the phone. Furthermore, he is adamant about his position and he posted on the SRP website excerpts from a book written in French by Ong Thong Hoeung. In “I believed the Khmer Rouge,” published in 2003 by Buchet-Chastel, the author who currently lives in Belgium, describes his internment at the infamous Boeng Trabek re-education camp, where he crossed path with Nor Namhong.
Nguon Nhel, the NA vice-president, said that “he did not receive the prosecutor letter yet.” Nevertheless, he explained that “the summon of the MPs right before the July election would be difficult.” In fact, for this type of exceptional agenda, 2/3 of the NA votes, i.e. 82 out of 123 MP votes, is required to suspend the immunity of a MP. However, the NA is now in recess, and such plenary session can be initiated only by the NA president, the prime minister, or the king.
Latest news to date in the difference opposing Hor Namhong, the minister of Foreign Affairs, and Sam Rainsy: in a letter dated Tuesday 17 June, the office of the prosecutor of the Phnom Penh municipal court asks the president of the National Assembly (NA), through the ministry of Justice, “to suspend the immunity” of the opposition MP.
This request follows the defamation and disinformation lawsuit brought up by Hor Namhong on 22 April, after Sam Rainsy made a declaration, at Choeung Ek Memorial on 17 April, about Hor Namhong’s role in the Boeng Trabek jail, during the KR period.
At the end of the preliminary investigation, the prosecutors said that he has enough evidence to launch the prosecution aiming at suspending Sam Rainsy’s parliamentary immunity.
On the other hand, Sam Rainsy remains calm. “This is not possible, this is the election season, it’s only a political threat. I am not concerned, but this case goes too far,” he reacted over the phone. Furthermore, he is adamant about his position and he posted on the SRP website excerpts from a book written in French by Ong Thong Hoeung. In “I believed the Khmer Rouge,” published in 2003 by Buchet-Chastel, the author who currently lives in Belgium, describes his internment at the infamous Boeng Trabek re-education camp, where he crossed path with Nor Namhong.
Nguon Nhel, the NA vice-president, said that “he did not receive the prosecutor letter yet.” Nevertheless, he explained that “the summon of the MPs right before the July election would be difficult.” In fact, for this type of exceptional agenda, 2/3 of the NA votes, i.e. 82 out of 123 MP votes, is required to suspend the immunity of a MP. However, the NA is now in recess, and such plenary session can be initiated only by the NA president, the prime minister, or the king.
4 comments:
Gentleman
It make more sense to postpone the personal court proceeding,which is considered civil matter.
If we all claim that national interest is the utmost important agenda, then stop using this nonesense as agenda. Bear in mind that political parties are only utilised for different strategies of national progresses.
Please stop abusing national previledge for personal gains.
It is time that people power cleans this old fool idea.
Neang SA
There shouldn't be any immunity for anyone under the law. Ah Scam Rainxy is scared, which is why he try to defend such and unjust and unfair law.
Ah puok kanhjas yuon (yuon's slave)nih kann te chkuot menten heuy.
Let's move forward and strip this son-of-bitch immunity before he further abuses his privileges.
I don't believe we should have this son-of-bitch running around like a loose cannon.
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