immunity

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 565

“The Phnom Penh Court sent a letter to the National Assembly president Samdech Heng Samrin through the Minister of Justice asking to suspend the immunity of the opposition party president Mr. Sam Rainsy over a case, numbered 693, dated 22 April 2008, from the Prosecution Office to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

“A letter numbered 110 from the Prosecution Office to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court was sent, asking the National Assembly president Samdech Heng Samrin to suspend the immunity of the parliamentarian Sam Rainsy, a parliamentarian from Phnom Penh, over the lawsuit of Mr. Hor Namhong, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, on 22 April 2008, regarding Mr. Sam Rainsy, on the accusation of defamation and disinformation, which is a crime stated in the new Article 63 of the amendment of Article 63, and of Article 62 of the criminal law.

“It should be remembered that on 17 April 2008, at the Choeung Ek genocidal memorial site at Meanchey District, Phnom Penh, Mr. Sam Rainsy said publicly that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hor Namhong, was the chief of the Boeng Trabaek Prison during the Khmer Rouge Regime. He said that being the chief of the Boeng Trabaek Prison was not by chance; unless Khmer Rouge leaders ordered that he could be the prison chief, and that the prison chief was very powerful, that is why they do not want to try all of those [former] Khmer Rouge leaders.

“The same letter shows that after the opposition party leader Mr. Sam Rainsy said these words, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hor Namhong, submitted the lawsuit through Mr. Kar Savuth as his lawyer on 22 April 2008, accusing Mr. Sam Rainsy of defamation and disinformation. After an initial investigation, the Prosecution Office to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court checked and has collected evidence that Sam Rainsy is suspected of defamation and disinformation, and a proposal to suspend his immunity as parliamentarian from Phnom Penh was sent to the National Assembly. This letter was issued by the prosecutor Uk Savuth, but so far, the the National Assembly has not yet decided to suspend his immunity. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr. Hor Namhong, has won a court case in France against the Great Heroic King Norodom Sihanouk over the same issue; therefore he will continue to sue anyone who accuses him that he was related to the Khmer Rouge killing field regime.” Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #29, 18-20.6.2008

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Wednesday, 18 June 2008

Deum Ampil, Vol.2, #73, 18.6.2008

• [Minister of Information] Khieu Kanharith: If Thailand Would Still Prevent Cambodia to List the Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site, Cambodia Will Block the Entry of Tourists Coming from Thailand

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1670, 18.6.2008

• There Is Disagreement after the Press Council of Cambodia Announced to Hold a Demonstration [in front of the court and the Ministry of Justice on 22 June 2008, in order to find justice for journalists and innocent people who have been unjustly arrested, but some newspaper editors-in-chief disagree with this plan]
• A Cambodian Delegation Will Attend a Meeting about Drug Control Cooperation in Laos [with the attendance of Laos, Cambodia, China, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the UN Office for Drug Control]
• A Korean Delegation Came to Study the Customs Situation in Cambodia [16 June 2008 – there was an exchange of methods on the modality to release goods from customs by using an electronic system, an Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA), and methods for the selection of goods to be imported, based on hazard management and taxation systems]

Khmer Amatak, Vol.9, #592, 18.6.2008

• The Government Should Take Action to Prevent Political Murders during the Election Period [especially during the campaign days and the election day]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #179, 18.6.2008

• [Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association president] Rong Chhun Accused the Kandal Authorities of Threatening the Owner of Punleu Chob Chet Restaurant [not to rent his restaurant to the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association, to hold a workshop about “Rights and duties of teachers” on 16 June 2008]

Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #29, 18-20.6.2008

• Prosecutors Asked for Suspension of Sam Rainsy’s Immunity
• 93% of Cambodian Children Receive Education [according to a UNESCO report, but the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association president Mr. Rong Chhun said that the rate of children receiving education in Cambodia is not high because of child labor]
• Mukh Kampul Military Sub-Operational Region Commanding Post Is Turned into a Place for Gambling [Kandal]
• All Kinds of Animals in Chi Kraeng District [Siem Reap] Are Close to Extinction [because there are two places backed by the district governor to store animals for trafficking]
• Garbage Dump in Phnom Penh Is Threatening Citizens’ Health [who live near it, because of its odious smell and of many flies]

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3489, 18.6.2008

• The Presence of Foreign Lawyers to Defend Civil Parties Might Provide Justice to Victims [of the Pol Pot regime] to Some Extent [this lawyers group of ten French and eight Cambodian lawyers created by Avocats Sans Frontières of France will assist in the Khmer Rouge Tribunal without charging money]

Rasmei Angkor, Vol.15, #1324, 18.6.2008

• Kem Sokha Prepared US$600,000 for the One-Month Election Campaign [according to a broadcast in Khmer by Radio France International on 16 June 2008]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4618, 18.6.2008

• Crude Oil Slightly Declines [to US$134.60] after Rising to Nearly US$140 per Barrel

Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.15, #3336, 18.6.2008

• The United Sates of America Will Sends 80 Election Observers to Cambodia

Have a look at the last editorial – press freedom was strongly under threat

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