PM lawyer vows to continue lawsuit

Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Written by Meas Sokchea The Phnom Penh Post

THE lawyer for Prime Minister Hun Sen has said his client will proceed with the defamation lawsuit filed against Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Mu Sochua, claiming he has not received a formal notification that she is withdrawing her own lawsuit.
In a radio broadcast Thursday, Mu Sochua offered to drop her lawsuit against the prime minister - filed for comments he made in Kampot on April 4 - if Hun Sen promised to do the same. But Hun Sen's lawyer Ky Tech said he had heard nothing from Mu Sochua's own lawyers.

"Based on the law, we cannot regard the information heard by media as official information. So I cannot report it to Samdech [Hun Sen]," he said.

No surrender

When contacted Monday, Mu Sochua said the idea to drop her suit had come about after a caller to Voice of America's Hello show asked her to drop the case and focus on resolving national issues.

But she denied that she was giving in to the prime minister by offering a mutual withdrawal of lawsuits, saying she would hold firm against the PM.

"I am maintaining my stance on my case. I am not admitting defeat and raising the white flag. I am just offering an olive branch to Hun Sen," she said.

Municipal court prosecutor Hing Bun Chea, who is in charge of Mu Sochua's case, said Monday he knew nothing about her case being dropped and that the suit was now in motion.

"We have been taking action on the case, and we will summon the plaintiff to clarify again after [the King's birthday]," he said.