The National Assembly has removed imprisoned opposition lawmaker Cheam Channy from its list of parliamentarians and has eliminated him from its payroll because he “is no longer a parliamentarian,” CPP legislator Cheam Yeap said on Tuesday.
“The permanent committee removed [Cheam Channy’s] name off the list because he was no longer a member of the National Assembly. He became a convict in prison,” Cheam Yeap said.
Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Son Chhay and party Secretary-General Eng Chhay Eang said they had not been officially notified of the decision, but called it illegal.
Eng Chhay Eang said he was still awaiting official notification of the move from the National Assembly.
Son Chhay said that Cheam Channy remained eligible to serve as a lawmaker, and said the Sam Rainsy Party had not agreed to the Assembly’s decision.
He noted that under the Constitution, a parliamentarian could be removed only in case of death or resignation.
In other cases, he said, the decision to remove a parliamentarian could be made only through a public referendum, as lawmakers are elected officials.
Cheam Yeap said the National Assembly’s permanent committee had decided to remove Cheam Channy from their roster because of his recent conviction on charges of sedition and fraud.
Convicted felons may not serve in parliament, Cheam Yeap said, referencing the 1956 penal code and the country’s civil servants’ code.
Chan Ven, deputy general-secretary of the National Assembly, said it was up to the Sam Rainsy Party to decide now who would fill Cheam Channy’s parliamentary seat.
Cheam Channy was imprisoned in August for seven years on charges of fraud and organizing a so-called “shadow army” by the Military Court.
The trial’s proceedings and evidence against the opposition lawmaker were strongly criticized by human rights groups and opposition party members.