Second Arrest Warrant Issued for Rainsy

Khmer Times/Taing Vida

 

Tuesday, 05 January 2016

 

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who is currently in self-imposed exile in France, faces a second arrest warrant on charges of conspiracy to fake public documents, use of false public documents and inciting chaos regarding a Facebook post that showed a forged border map treaty between Cambodia and Vietnam and which has already led to the arrest and detention of another opposition lawmaker.

The arrest warrant was released to the public yesterday after being signed on December 9 by vice president of Phnom Penh Municipal Court Kor Vandy. The warrant stated that Mr. Rainsy was summonsed to court on December 4 but did not show up, leading the court to issue an arrest warrant.

Mr. Rainsy was stripped of his seat in the National Assembly and of the parliamentary immunity that came with it after an earlier arrest warrant was issued on November 13. That warrant stemmed from a 2008 complaint from Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, who accused him of defamation for comments alleging that Mr. Namhong was a Khmer Rouge collaborator.

Mr. Rainsy now faces a two-year prison sentence from the conviction for defaming Mr. Namhong, and another defamation complaint has been filed by CPP senator Heng Samrin regarding a video Mr. Rainsy posted to his Facebook page in November.

Mr. Rainsy asked to conduct the hearing by Skype, but the Phnom Penh Municipal Court director rejected the request on January 4.

Choung Chu Ngy, a CNRP lawyer, said he was unaware of the warrant and made no further comment. CNRP spokesman Yim Sovann could not be reached.

Executive director of the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee Sok Sam Oeun said political bias was behind the court’s decision. “I think the court is under political favor, influenced by the ruling party,” he said.

Last week, Prime Minister Hun Sen vowed not to pardon Mr. Rainsy for a third time, adding that he would cut off his right hand before letting him back in the country. Mr. Rainsy was granted a royal pardon by King Sihamoni twice, in 2006 and in July 2013, when he was allowed to return in time for the national election.