CASE OF SAM RAINSY DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION (IPU)

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY CONSENSUS BY THE IPU GOVERNING COUNCIL AT ITS 191st SESSION (QUEBEC, 24 OCTOBER 2012) (Excerpts) The IPU supports the view of the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia, Professor Surya Subedi, in his 16 July 2012 report to the U.N. Human Rights Council, which states in particular that "The allegation made by the [Cambodian] Government was that Mr. Sam Rainsy had manipulated a map to show that Vietnam had encroached on the territory of Cambodia. In any properly functioning democracy, such political matters should be debated in the parliament and become a matter of public debate rather than the subjet of a criminal case before courts." The IPU calls for effort to continue to make it "possible for Mr. Sam Rainsy to return to Cambodia to make, as the country's principal opposition leader, a meaningful contribution to free and fair elections in 2013." It endorses the U.N. Special Rapporteur 's appeal for negotiations between Cambodia's ruling party and opposition aimed at a political solution that would ensure that "Mr. Sam Rainsy can soon resume his place as a member of the National Assembly and stand as a candidate in the upcoming elections." Full text of the Resolution in English http://www.ipu.org/pdf/hrres191_en.pdf Texte entier de la Résolution en français http://www.ipu.org/pdf/hrres191_fr.pdf CNRP Secretariat http://www.ipu.org/pdf/hrres191_en.pdf www.ipu.org