Hun Sen Warned Sam Rainsy over NEC Fine

The president of SRP Mr. Sam Rainsy was sued by the National Election Committee for his criticizing the Cambodian People Party (CPP) during the national election campaign, July 2008. He was found guilty and demanded to pay 10 million Riels (US$2,500) for compensation because the case was rightfully a criminal matter. The matter had been sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, which asked the National Assembly to revoke Sam Rainsy’s immunity so that the court could implement the case.

However, Mr. Sam Rainsy disagreed to pay the fine for the reason that he had not done anything wrong; and said that what NEC had been doing was only seen as the political intention.

On Tuesday February 24, 2009 Prime Minister Hun Sen warned that Mr. Sam Rainsy could be easily removed from the member of parliamentary through immunity lifting for CCP has enough lawmakers to do that in case he still refused to pay that fine. His speech took place at a graduation ceremony at the National Institute of Education. In reaction to this speaking, Mr. Sam Rainsy considered the pressure which CCP trying to put on the opposition movement.

The following day, Wednesday, Mr. Sam Rainsy wrote a letter to National Assembly President Heng Samrin to request for postponement of his case at the National Assembly.

Even though Mr. Sam Rainsy had been striving all the way to seek for assistance, the National Assembly on Thursday voted to strip his parliamentarian immunity in order that the court started to take action of Mr. Sam Rainsy’s case.

After the session of the Assembly, Mr. Sam Rainsy criticized that it was the political reason to put pressure on SRP’s lawmakers’ freedom of expression.

Koul Panha, director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, also condemned the permanent committee’s decision as an attack on free speech.

Having no alternatives, Mr. Sam Rainsy on Friday paid a 10 million Riel fine imposed on him by the National Election Committee in August, prompting the NEC to request that its lawsuit against the opposition leader be dropped. He also wrote a letter to Heng Samrin to drop the matter of suspending his immunity.

About a week latter, National Assembly President Hen Samrin said Thursday, March 6, 2009 that he would convene the Assembly’s Permanent Committee to restore the parliamentary immunity of opposition party leader Sam Rainsy the following week.