By Ly Menghour
The Mekong Times
The leaders of the three main opposition parties will jointly sue commune chiefs they accuse of illegally issuing “1018” forms they allege allowed people not included in official voter lists to cast ballots in the recent parliamentary election.
The falsification of electoral papers is a violation of Cambodian law, said officials from the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), the Human Rights Party (HRP) and the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) Thursday.
“Those who falsified documents, especially government officials including some commune chiefs from the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) … must face criminal punishment,” SRP President Sam Rainsy said.
“Article 49 of the UNTAC penal code stipulates that those who falsify public documents shall be jailed for five to 15 years. A large number of CPP commune chiefs will serve these prison [terms].”
Claiming that conclusive proof of the “1018” form usage has been gathered, Sam Rainsy alleged that authorities gave “ghost” names to people who did not have their names in the voting list to go to the polls unlawfully with fraudulent documents.”
The SRP, the HRP and the NRP were to present figures, evidence and witnesses to media during a Friday press conference.
Sam Rainsy said legal complaints have already been filed against some commune chiefs. He reiterated that approximately one million people could not vote because their names were deleted or illegally used by other people.
According to official figures, over 8.1 million people voted during the national election. According to Sam Rainsy, only 5.9 million cast ballots, with the remaining 2.3 million genuine voters unable to vote.
“The CPP received 3.4 million votes. The SRP received more than 1.3 million votes. The HRP, the NRP and Funcipec respectively obtained 400,000, more than 300,000 and more than 300,000,” he said.
But CPP spokesman Khieu Kanharith poured scorn on the opposition allegations, saying that the SRP should have complained on election day of the alleged irregularities.
“Sam Rainsy should feel ashamed because SRP representatives were in all commune offices. If the forms of kind were issued, why did not they know?” he asked. “They have only just complained now.”
Khieu Kanharith encouraged Sam Rainsy to share his information. “Give evidence to the court,” he said. “The court will decide.”
He also disagreed with Sam Rainsy on the number of people who failed to vote, noting that “people who did not go to vote might be lazy.”
“Some went on recreational vacations because of the three-day holiday. Similar things happen in any other country. Even in the US, voter turnout is usually less than 50 percent.”
Sok Sam Oeun, director of local legal the NGO Cambodian Defenders Project, said that commune officials can be prosecuted for falsifying public documents under Cambodian law, provided there is adequate evidence.
The Mekong Times
The leaders of the three main opposition parties will jointly sue commune chiefs they accuse of illegally issuing “1018” forms they allege allowed people not included in official voter lists to cast ballots in the recent parliamentary election.
The falsification of electoral papers is a violation of Cambodian law, said officials from the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), the Human Rights Party (HRP) and the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP) Thursday.
“Those who falsified documents, especially government officials including some commune chiefs from the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) … must face criminal punishment,” SRP President Sam Rainsy said.
“Article 49 of the UNTAC penal code stipulates that those who falsify public documents shall be jailed for five to 15 years. A large number of CPP commune chiefs will serve these prison [terms].”
Claiming that conclusive proof of the “1018” form usage has been gathered, Sam Rainsy alleged that authorities gave “ghost” names to people who did not have their names in the voting list to go to the polls unlawfully with fraudulent documents.”
The SRP, the HRP and the NRP were to present figures, evidence and witnesses to media during a Friday press conference.
Sam Rainsy said legal complaints have already been filed against some commune chiefs. He reiterated that approximately one million people could not vote because their names were deleted or illegally used by other people.
According to official figures, over 8.1 million people voted during the national election. According to Sam Rainsy, only 5.9 million cast ballots, with the remaining 2.3 million genuine voters unable to vote.
“The CPP received 3.4 million votes. The SRP received more than 1.3 million votes. The HRP, the NRP and Funcipec respectively obtained 400,000, more than 300,000 and more than 300,000,” he said.
But CPP spokesman Khieu Kanharith poured scorn on the opposition allegations, saying that the SRP should have complained on election day of the alleged irregularities.
“Sam Rainsy should feel ashamed because SRP representatives were in all commune offices. If the forms of kind were issued, why did not they know?” he asked. “They have only just complained now.”
Khieu Kanharith encouraged Sam Rainsy to share his information. “Give evidence to the court,” he said. “The court will decide.”
He also disagreed with Sam Rainsy on the number of people who failed to vote, noting that “people who did not go to vote might be lazy.”
“Some went on recreational vacations because of the three-day holiday. Similar things happen in any other country. Even in the US, voter turnout is usually less than 50 percent.”
Sok Sam Oeun, director of local legal the NGO Cambodian Defenders Project, said that commune officials can be prosecuted for falsifying public documents under Cambodian law, provided there is adequate evidence.
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