National Assembly President Heng Samrin was due to address the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva today despite criticism from the international organization, which last week described the Cambodian government’s prosecution of SRP lawmaker Mu Sochua as a “complete travesty of justice.”
Mr Heng Samrin was due to give a five-minute address today at the opening of a global IPU conference of parliamentary speakers, which will gather 150 speakers of parliaments and is to be addressed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap yesterday rejected the IPU criticism, published in a statement by the organization’s human rights committee, and said Mr Heng Samrin’s address would not touch on Ms Sochua’s case.
“I would like to completely dismiss the claim,” Mr Yeap said.
Ms Sochua’s case “was just enforcement of the court’s powers, one of three major powers that are separate and none of which can interfere with the others,” Mr Yeap said.
Mr Yeap also said he had met with IPU Secretary-General Anders Johnsson of Sweden to discuss the prosecutions of Ms Sochua and SRP leader Sam Rainsy, who, unlike Ms Sochua, is currently living in exile following being handed a jail sentence in January.
Mr Yeap said Rosario Green, chair of the IPU human rights committee who issued the statement critical of the government, had been misinformed.
“Before she speaks, she should check with IPU Secretary-General Anders B Johnsson first,” he said.
Though brief, Mr Heng Samrin’s speech will survey Cambodian affairs, Mr Yeap said.
“Samdech [Heng Samrin] will offer his speech on three major things: the political and economic situation, cultural and social affairs and the international relations of Cambodia.”
