A Committee on Human Rights of parliamentarians from 162 countries has proposed a draft resolution stating that the criminal convictions against Cambodian opposition party leader Sam Rainsy are politically motivated, and that his participation in July’s national election is necessary if he vote is to be considered free and fair.
The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), an international organization of parliaments, which currently lists Cambodia as a member, is expected to adopt the resolution drawn up by its human rights committee.
Although Cambodia’s minister of justice, Ang Vong Vathana, met with the IPU’s Secretary-General in February to explain the conviction of Sam Rainy and the verdicts, which amount to 11 years in jail should he return to Cambodia from France, the minister’s explanation was not sufficient, the resolution, dated Wednesday, states.
The IPU considers that “the information [Mr. Vathana and the National Assembly] provided does not dispel its long-standing concerns that Mr. Sam Rainsy’s removal of temporary border markers was a political gesture and that consequently, the courts should have never been seized of the matter in the first place,” the resolution states.
The resolution also calls on Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling CPP and the country’s opposition parties “to do everything possible to work together as a matter of national urgency with a view to helping ensure that Mr. Sam Rainsy can stand as a candidate in the elections.”
Spokesman for the Council of Ministers Phay Siphan on Friday alleged that the IPU did not investigate the case properly before drafting the proposed resolution.
Mr. Siphan also claimed that Sam Rainsy was convicted by an independent court system.
“He [Sam Rainsy] was sentenced by the court and no one, no matter if it’s someone from the ruling party or the opposition, can influence that because it’s the court’s decision and [the court] is independent,” Mr. Siphan said.
“Let [the IPU] voice their opinion, but to order our government to do this or that, this is abusing our sovereignty,” he continued, referring to individual IPU member states such as China, Cambodia’s largest benefactor as well as major donors Japan and France.
SRP lawmaker Son Chhay welcomed the IPU’s proposed resolution.
“There are many international leaders…who raised concern to the Hun Sen government regarding free and fair elections and Sam Rainsy’s sentence and participation, so this [proposed resolution] is adding additional pressure now and underlines the concern of the international community,” he said.
