Washington
25 September 2009
A lawmaker for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party said Thursday the National Assembly could easily return parliamentary immunity to two opposition members if the courts drop their cases and make a request.
Opposition lawmakers Mu Sochua and Ho Vann, from the Sam Rainsy Party, had their immunity suspended by the Assembly in April, at the request of the court, as both faced defamation charges.
CPP lawmaker Cheam Yiep told “Hello VOA” Thursday the Assembly could vote to restore the immunity after the cases are dropped.
“We just took away the raincoat to make [them] wet equally to others, and we’ll just give them back the raincoat, that’s all,” he said.
Mu Sochua has so far been fined $4,500 in a suit brought by Prime Minister Hun Sen, and Ho Vann was acquitted this week of defamation charges brought by 22 military officials.
The National Assembly returns to session Oct. 1, but it has so far received no request to restore immunity.
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