July 24, 2009
Mu Sochua remains silent in front of the judges

The defamation trial opposing Hun Sen to SRP MP Mu Sochua took place in the morning of Friday 24 July in the Phnom Penh municipal court.

The Kampot MP showed up in court without defense lawyer and she chose to use her right to remain silent during the trial. She did not answer to the judge’s questions. Ky Tech, Hun Sen’s lawyer, who was present during the hearing, asked the tribunal to sentence Mu Sochua according to the law while asking 10 million riels ($2,500) in damage compensation. At the end of the hearing, Mu Sochua asked the tribunal to judge the case according to the spirit of the law and not based on the court’s concerns about men in power. (Full story)

June 20, 2009
SRP WILL NOT REPLACE MU SOCHUA

While pushing for the lifting of Mu Sochua’s parliamentary immunity, Prime Minister Hun Sen has been suggesting that she be replaced as a National Assembly member at the initiative of the opposition Sam Rainsy Party.

On behalf of the SRP, I can assure the Cambodian people and all Cambodia’s friends that Mu Sochua’s seat at the National Assembly will remain hers until the end of her legal term and that no replacement will be appointed.

Mu Sochua is the victim of an injustice. Hun Sen wants to eliminate her from Cambodia’s political landscape. It is a blatant abuse of power that is only possible with a subservient judiciary and a rubber-stamp parliament.

Replacing Mu Sochua would be like politically burying her alive and complying with Hun Sen’s insane desire. (Full story)

June 13, 2009
Source: Khmer Sthapana newspaper
Reported in English by Khmerization

Mr. Hing Bun Chea, the Phnom Penh Court deputy prosecutor, had issued a three page statement explaining the reasons why Mrs. Mu Sochua's suit against Prime Minister Hun Sen was dismissed, reports Khmer Sthapana.

In the statement dated 11th June, Mr. Hing Bun Chea said that, firstly, Prime Minister Hun Sen did not defame Mr. Mu Sochua because his public speech, which was the subject of the suit, was a general speech that did not mention anyone by name. (Full story)

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Dear friends and supporters,

I wish to clarify that I do not intend to withdraw my case from the court. Please rest assured that I intend to go all the way.

Please help bring to the attention of the International BAr Association, the very serious situation faced by my lawyer.
The shift now should be on the BAr as the way the PM's lawyer is able to so far manipulate this so called independent institution. (Full story)

Between 1975-79, over 1.7 million Cambodian women, men and children were killed by the Khmer Rouge, among them my parents. The world community knew about it but watched from afar. Cambodia has come out of genocide and on the road to reconstruction but this stage of reconstruction is stuck and in many ways quickly falling back to point zero. 30 years after the genocide of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia has made some progress but too small. (Full story)

Many Cambodian women, especially female leaders of NGOs, are very reluctant to make any comments regarding the defamation suit between Mrs. Mu Sochua and Prime Minister Hun Sen, reports Radio Free Asia. (Full story)

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