A day after authorities imprisoned three opposition youth organizers on seemingly spurious charges of insurrection, CNRP President Sam Rainsy said Sunday that final talks with the ruling CPP over the details of the July 22 deal between the parties can now be “considered complete.”
Phnom Penh municipal police on Saturday morning arrested Khin Chamrouen, 32, head of CNRP’s Phnom Penh Youth wing, and sent him to the municipal court for questioning over the street brawl that broke out at an opposition protest on July 15.
Neang Sokhun, 28, a youth leader in Tuol Kok district, and San Kimheng, 28, treasurer of the CNRP Youth in Meanchey district, were also arrested in the afternoon and taken to court. The trio were then charged and sent to Prey Sar prison.
Phnom Penh Municipal Court Judge Keo Mony, who last month charged seven CNRP lawmakers-elect and a party official with leading an insurrection over the July 15 protest, confirmed that the three were charged over the same event.
“The three have been charged with joining the insurrection,” Judge Mony said, declining to speak further.
Sam Sokong, a lawyer representing the three, said they were in fact charged with three crimes by the court.
“The three have been charged with three crimes: joining an insurrection, opposing public authority, and causing intentional violence, under articles 456, 457, 504 and 218 of the penal code,” he said, adding that he would apply for bail today.
Leng Kalyan, 34, wife of Mr. Chamroeun, said she feared her husband would be arrested after he was repeatedly shown taking part in the protest in recent broadcasts on government-aligned Apsara TV.
“The authorities arrested them in order to pressure the CNRP to join the National Assembly. We hope the two parties negotiate to help to release my husband,” she said.
The seven CNRP lawmakers-elect and party official imprisoned after the violent protest on July 15 were released a week later on July 22, hours after Mr. Rainsy and Prime Minister Hun Sen cut a deal to end the opposition’s boycott of the National Assembly over claims that last year’s election was rigged.
On Sunday, Mr. Rainsy said the imprisonment of the three youth leaders went against the spirit of the July 22 deal, but said he hoped their time in prison would be short-lived.
“We expect that with the signing of the final agreement…opening the way for us to go to the National Assembly, simultaneously—or an hour after—they will be freed,” he said.
Interior Minister Sar Kheng on Friday sent Mr. Rainsy the CPP’s version of a draft constitutional chapter the CNRP president sent to the ruling party on Wednesday.
Mr. Kheng’s version of the chapter notably removed articles granting immunity from prosecution to the nine members of the reformed National Election Committee, which is at the heart of the July 22 deal between the two parties.
Mr. Rainsy said the CNRP had received the draft, which stipulates only that new NEC members have five-year tenures, and had approved it in principle.
“After receiving the CPP draft of the constitutional amendments, we had a meeting on Friday to iron out the remaining differences and it is nearly finished. There are a few differences but it can be considered complete,” he said.
The remaining discrepancies were resolved by telephone with Mr. Kheng, he said, and a new draft was sent to the CPP over the weekend for the wording to be approved.
“We are waiting on our side, whether they agree to our wording or whether they propose a new wording,” Mr. Rainsy said. “I don’t think there will be any problems. As soon as this is ironed out, then a day will be fixed for the swearing-in.”
Under the July 22 deal, both parties are to appoint four members each to the reformed NEC and then consent to a bipartisan final candidate who will hold the tie-breaking vote.
Licadho president Pung Chhiv Kek was last Monday selected as the ninth member but had requested immunity.
Prum Sokha, a secretary of state at the Interior Ministry who has led the CPP on the working group to draft the new constitutional chapter encoding a reformed NEC, could not be reached Sunday.
Mr. Rainsy also said Sunday that the working group on drafting a new election law would adjourn until after the 55 lawmakers-elect from the CNRP swear in and take their seats in the National Assembly, in order to expedite the process.
“When we studied the whole thing, the whole construction of the new NEC and the election system, we realized that what is fundamental is the amendment of the Constitution,” Mr. Rainsy said. “The election law can then be amended according to the new stipulations in the Constitution.”
