GlobalPost, January 14, 2013Cambodia's opposition leaders were questioned in court Tuesday in connection with recent protests against strongman premier Hun Sen -- a case they denounced as politically motivated.
Prosecutors at Phnom Penh Municipal Court spent several hours grilling Sam Rainsy and his deputy Kem Sokha about unrest that led to a bloody police crackdown on striking garment workers.
No charges have been brought against them.
"The problem is a political one. As long as there is no political solution yet, there will be a judicial issue pending," Rainsy said at a press conference after the closed-door hearing.
A few thousand opposition supporters rallied outside of the court to show their support for the pair, who told a cheering crowd they would continue their struggle for justice after alleged vote fraud in July 2013 elections.
The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party has boycotted parliament since the polls, but Hun Sen appears unfazed by the political deadlock.
He reiterated Tuesday that he would not resign, and told the opposition party to wait for the next election in five years' time.
"Step down? Never. It will be in a long time," Hun Sen said in a national radio speech, adding that he was elected constitutionally.
The 61-year-old premier, who has ruled for 28 years and has vowed to stay in power until he is 74, has faced mounting criticism over his rights record as well as accusations of excessive force against demonstrators.
Earlier this month police opened fire on striking garment factory employees demanding a minimum wage of $160 per month for their work in an industry which supplies brands including Gap, Nike and H&M, killing at least four civilians.
Security personnel armed with shields and batons also chased opposition protesters -- including monks, women and children -- from their rally base in a park in Phnom Penh.
The government says the rallies were illegal and has indefinitely banned opposition demonstrations in the capital. AFP
4 comments:
ＨUN SＥＮ ＨAVE TO STEP DOWN .
short of having military coup... he would never leave the throne....and rainsy has no high ranking military personnel backing him up either ... so good luck with such demand.
he and his party should go back to work on changing the laws instead of wasting time with fruitless rallies and demonstrations which ended up killing poor people in the process..
Don't have a dream and thinking dictator hun sen step down,never should learn more about him,1-why he election just think a robbery some rob your money and you ask to get money back may be they his gun on you this is a rob answer hun sen same thing,2-he plan to put cambodia to be indochinese there are lao,cambodia and viet and ill be a leader to control all of them and hun sen cpp put them selves to be a slave forever,only gun down that we can do or bring him to icc court and him in the jail with his followers this way will be clear,but I don't know about mr sam raingsy he already sent this case to international court or not ?
I want to see prett hun sen any more he sould die or jail very soon
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