The health problem that prevented Prime Minister Hun Sen from meeting with UN human rights envoy Surya Subedi has abated and the premier is now back to full fitness, a senior government official said on Friday.
One day after being unable to keep his scheduled appointment with Mr Subedi, Mr Hun Sen was on Friday back to “normal,” CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap said, adding that the premier had a nasty cold.
“I would like to inform you that right now Samdech’s health is normal. He was suffering from a cold. After the doctor checked and treated him he is back to normal. It is nothing,” Mr Yeap said.
“He can walk and work as normal,” he said, adding that it was unfortunate that Mr Hun Sen was unable to keep his appointment with Mr Subedi, who wrapped up a 10-day visit to the country on Thursday.
“He wanted to meet [Mr Subedi] as planned,” Mr Yeap said.
The missed appointment with the prime minister was raised on Thursday at Mr Subedi press conference to sum up his latest fact-finding mission, which was focused on the Cambodian judiciary. Mr Subedi said he was disappointed “but at the same time I will utilize other avenues to convey my message to the prime minister.”
Mr Subedi’s key message at the press conference, and which he likely planned to convey to Mr Hun Sen if they had met, was that the country’s judicial system is subject to financial and political interference, which has ‘resulted in a [judicial] institution that has not commanded the confidence of people from many walks of life.”
“Many judges may have the necessary commitment to deliver justice according to the law, but for many this commitment is compromised by external interference, and for others the commitment is just not there,” Mr Subedi said.
Koul Panha, executive director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said that civil society groups were surprised and disappointed that Mr Hun Sen had been unable to meet the UN representative.
“We are very sorry about this issue. We never thought they would fail to meet,” Mr Panha said.
Mr Subedi had prepared “a lot of recommendations to offer Mr Hun Sen to reform the country,” Mr Panha said. “He planned to talk about land rights, human rights and other issues,” he added.
“Mr Subedi prepared a lot of recommendations.”
