Excerpt from "The state of human rights in eleven Asian nations - 2010" by AHRC
The restricted freedom of expression for media workers also applies on political opponents, which the dreadful case of Sam Rainsy, the main opposition leader, clearly exemplifies.
Rainsy went into self-exile on February 3, 2005 after a vote in the National Assembly removed his parliamentarian immunity along with two other party members. Rainsy was charged with criminal defamation for his accusation of corruption between the CPP and Funcinpec in the formation of the current coalition government. Moreover he accused Prime Minister Hun Sen of involvement in the murder of Chea Vichea in 2004. He was tried in absentia on December 22, 2005 and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment along with a fine of $14,000 as compensation.
However, on February 5, 2006, at Hun Sen’s request, Rainsy received a Royal Pardon by King Norodom Sihamoni and returned to Cambodia on February 10, 2006.
In October 2009 Sam Rainsy led a protest against alleged border markings at the Vietnamese border, which Cambodian villagers are said to have lost land to.
Vietnam condemned Rainsy’s actions and urged the Cambodian government to protect the treaties and agreements between the two countries. Soon after Rainsy faced a sentence of 2 years imprisonment as the court found him guilty of destruction of property and racial incitement for uprooting markers along the Vietnam border. Rainsy fled to England France, where he is currently in exile.
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