Monday, 24 September 2012
By Meas Sokchea
Phnom Penh Post
The Cambodian Bar Association
on Friday summonsed opposition party leader Sam Rainsy (pictured) to “clarify” his
2009 convictions for forgery and destruction of public property,
warning that the self-exiled politician could lose his law licence if he
failed to appear.
“We invited him for questioning about the
court conviction. Is this conviction true or not? And can he receive
it?” Bar Association spokesman Yim Sary said.
Rainsy has been
living in self-imposed exile since being convicted on multiple charges
for uprooting a Cambodian-Vietnamese border post and disseminating maps
he claimed showed encroachment.
He faces 12 years in prison
should he return, and supporters and rights groups have generally
derided the convictions as politically motivated.
Sary said
yesterday lawyers found guilty of criminal charges could be stripped of
their licences once the app-eals process ran out. According to Bar
Association rules, Rainsy faced disbarment or suspension, he said.
“If
there is no summonsing him for clarifying [the conviction], the Council
of Bar Association cannot punish him,” Sary said. The terms of the
citation issued on Friday state that Rainsy must appear in person.
Sary
added that the timing of the summons was simply because the Appeal
Court had not sent the verdict in Rainsy’s case – made official in June –
until last month.
Sam Rainsy Party spokesman Yim Sovann called the summons a farce.
“This
issue is political motivated – using the court to mistreat the
opposition party. The Bar Association should understand clearly; it is
not necessary to clarify,” Sovann said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Meas Sokchea at sokchea.meas@phnompenhpost.com
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