SAM RAINSY TO PARTICIPATE IN ECONOMIC CONFERENCES
IN GERMANY AND SWITZERLAND

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy is to participate in economic conferences
in Germany and Switzerland from January 20 to 26.

From January 20 to 22 he will be in Munich (Bavaria, Southern Germany)
to take part in a series of DLD (Digital – Life – Design) conferences.
DLD is a global conference network on innovation, digital, science and
culture which connects business, creative and social leaders,
opinion-formers and investors for crossover conversation and
inspiration (www.DLD-conference.com).

From January 22 to 26 he will be in Davos (Switzerland) to join the
World Economic Forum, which is an independent international
organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging
business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape
global, regional and industry agendas (www.weforum.org).

At the above conferences Sam Rainsy — who will meet with some of the
most important persons in the world, in the political, economic,
business and intellectual spheres — will defend Cambodia’s economic
interests knowing that the world’s most powerful corporations pay more
and more attention to good governance, the rule of law, democracy and
social justice as the foundation of peace, stability and sustainable
development.

The 2013 World Economic Forum in Davos will be co-chaired, along with
CEOs of the world’s largest companies, by the president of
Transparency International: This shows how important clean and honest
governments are to the world business community. Sam Rainsy’s message
and his long fight against corruption in Cambodia will certainly
interest many world leaders.

On January 27 Sam Rainsy will be received by the Cambodian community
in Switzerland at a public meeting in Zurich.

Secretariat of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP)

U.S. COURT CASES BEING PREPARED ON ASSASSINATIONS CARRIED OUT BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN CAMBODIA

The report just released by Human Rights Watch, “Tell Them That I Want

to Kill Them — Two Decades of Impunity in Hun Sen’s Cambodia,”
describes more than 300 extra-judicial executions of political
opponents, human rights activists and labor leaders by top Cambodian
government officials and their associates over the past twenty years,
as a means to stifle political opposition and to retain power.  This
report could not come at a more perfect time.  Tomorrow President
Obama is scheduled to make the first visit by a sitting U.S. president
to Cambodia, and it is urgent that during this visit he bring
attention to the long-standing policy of the current Cambodian
government to engage in major human rights abuses, while preventing
the country’s law enforcement authorities and courts from acting to
secure justice for these crimes.

To bring further attention to these ongoing problems in association
with President Obama’s historic visit to Cambodia, I wish to announce
plans elaborated with my American lawyer in Washington D.C. to prepare
court cases to be brought before the United States courts against the
perpetrators of these assassinations identified in the Human Rights
Watch report.  These cases will be filed if and when any of these
perpetrators come to the United States.  A similar case along these
lines was successfully brought in Federal District Court in New York
City against Prime Minister Hun Sen himself in 2005 for his role in
using his private guard unit to carry out a grenade attack against a
meeting of political opposition groups that resulted in the death and
injury of many participants, and the wounding of a U.S. citizen
observing the demonstration.  The case was temporarily settled when
Mr. Hun Sen agreed to free a number of political prisoners and permit
my return to Cambodia after a year of forced exile following my
prosecution by a local court on politically motivated charges.

The preparation of these court actions will provide a means for
obtaining justice against major human rights abusers in Cambodia, who
until now have been cloaked with impunity because the Cambodian
government would not allow law enforcement authorities and the courts
to prosecute them.

These major human rights abusers now must be mindful that they have
been identified by the international community, and will be subject to
justice if they leave Cambodia.  Even the prime minister himself would
be subject to court action in the U.S. once again, as soon as he
leaves office and can no longer claim head of state immunity status.

In conjunction with President Obama’s visit to Cambodia, and the
issuance of the new Human Rights Watch report, the preparation of
these court cases will make clear that the prevailing policy of the
Cambodian government of providing impunity from prosecution in
Cambodia to major human rights abusers must end, and that no one who
carries out or facilitates these crimes, even those at the highest
levels of government, will be able to escape justice and international
condemnation.  The systemic human rights abuses of the present Phnom
Penh government, and their policy of repression of the political
opposition, must stop if true democracy is to be realized in Cambodia
by the time when national elections are held in 2013.

By SAM RAINSY

Published: October 30, 2012

As the U.S. presidential election approaches, Barack Obama is in danger of allowing his good offices to be used as part of an attempt to deny Cambodians the opportunity for self-determination that Americans take for granted.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/31/opinion/obama-should-stay-away-from-cambodia.html?hpw

AUSTRALIA’S SENATE CALLS FOR DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN CAMBODIA IN LINE WITH U.N. RECOMMENDATIONS

The Australian Senate today adopted the following resolution on Cambodia calling for free and fair elections in 2013 with full participation of opposition leader Sam Rainsy, in line with recent recommendations by the United Nations.

“The [Australian] Senate:

a) Notes the recent report by the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia which addresses the issue of election organisation and makes a number of recommendations in order for Cambodia’s general election in July 2013 to meet international standards for democratic elections and for urgent and long-term reforms to give Cambodians confidence in the electoral process; and

b) Calls on the Cambodian Government to hold free and fair elections in 2013 and to ensure that opposition parties are able to participate fully in Cambodian politics without physical or judicial harassment or intimidation, including opposition leader Sam Rainsy, as recommended by the UN Special Rapporteur.”

The resolution was moved by Senator Christine Milne, leader of the Australian Greens Party, following a visit to Canberra earlier this month by a delegation of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) led by opposition leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha.

CNRP Secretariat

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT CALLS FOR DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IN CAMBODIA

On 26 October 2012, the European Parliament adopted a “resolution on the situation in Cambodia” denouncing serious human rights violations and calling for democratic elections in 2013.

Regarding the forthcoming polls, the resolution draws attention to the “report of 16 July 2012 by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia.” It notes that “according to the main findings of the UN report, major flaws exist in the administration of elections in Cambodia and urgent reforms are needed to give Cambodians confidence in the electoral process as the country approaches its general elections in July 2013.”

Through the resolution “the European Parliament

- Condemns all politically motivated sentences and convictions against political critics, parliamentary opposition politicians, notably Sam Rainsy, human rights defenders and land activists;

- Urges the Cambodian Government, the National Election Committee and the provincial election committees to implement the recent UN recommendations on reforming the electoral system to ensure it conforms with international standards before, during and after the casting of votes;

- Is concerned about the situation of Sam Rainsy, the leader of the Sam Rainsy Party, who has been convicted on charges that are allegedly politically motivated; urges the Cambodian Government and opposition parties to work towards reconciliation in order to enable the opposition to play a full role in Cambodian politics and in the forthcoming elections, in order to provide credibility to the electoral process.”

Following the award of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2012 to the European Union, this “resolution on the situation in Cambodia” by the European Parliament is a powerful and timely encouragement to all those who are engaged in the uphill battle for a real democracy in Cambodia.

[End]

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]]> http://www.samrainsyparty.org/en/2012/10/27/english-the-european-parliament-calls-for-democratic-elections-in-cambodia/feed/ 0 http://www.samrainsyparty.org/en/2012/10/25/english-ipu-to-send-human-rights-missions-to-maldives-and-turkey/ http://www.samrainsyparty.org/en/2012/10/25/english-ipu-to-send-human-rights-missions-to-maldives-and-turkey/#comments Thu, 25 Oct 2012 02:45:12 +0000 sunchanthy http://www.samrainsyparty.org/?p=4559

INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION

NEWS RELEASE

IPU to Send Human Rights Missions to Maldives and Turkey

Quebec City/Geneva, 24 October, 2012 – The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will be sending fact-finding missions to the Maldives and Turkey as part of renewed efforts to resolve cases involving the human rights of MPs.

The decisions are among the many being adopted today by IPU during its 127^th Assembly in Quebec City, Canada, upon the recommendation of its Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians.

IPU is deeply concerned at the on-going climate of violence and confrontation in the Maldives, expressing shock at the recent killing of MP Afrasheem Ali.

In a resolution on the case of 19 MPs from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), alleged victims of excessive violence, arbitrary arrests and criminal charges believed to be politically motivated, the Organization is similarly perturbed by reports of renewed ill-treatment, detention and harassment by law enforcement officers.

Maldives has been in political crisis since February when incumbent President Mohamed Nasheed was replaced by his Vice-President Mohamed Waheed. There has been growing international concern at the political intimidation and serious outbreaks of violence in the country.

The IPU mission to the Maldives will gather first-hand information. At the invitation of the Maldives government, it will meet parliamentary, government and judicial authorities as well as the MPs concerned.

A similar mission to Turkey is aimed at resolving the case of nine MPs, six of them Kurdish, imprisoned either for allegedly belonging to organizations conspiring to overthrow the ruling party or for being part of alleged military coup plots.

Although the Turkish parliament has adopted legislation which would allow MPs in preventive detention to be provisionally released, the nine MPs remain in prison. Some of them have been in jail for three years.

The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians examined 37 cases involving 135 MPs from 21 different countries in this session and took decisions on 20 of the cases. Over four days, the Committee held hearings with delegations from Maldives, Turkey, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Among the many African cases reviewed, IPU is deeply concerned by the serious allegations that DRC opposition MP Diomi Ndongala was arbitrarily arrested on 27 June this year when he was due to attend the signing of a charter on a new opposition party. He claims he was held incommunicado by intelligence officers for almost four months, reappearing on 11^th October in a very weakened state and in urgent need of medical care. His claim is denied by the authorities.

The IPU is also very disturbed that Ndongala’s family and friends have been subjected to threats, intimidation and surveillance since his arrest with the situation having worsened since his reappearance. IPU calls on the DRC authorities to ensure his safety and that of his family and for an independent enquiry on the case.

On a more positive note, two human rights cases were resolved involving Chad and Cambodia.

IPU is also welcoming the release in recent months of 18 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, including its Speaker, from administrative detention. IPU trusts that the remaining five Palestinian MPs held in such detention will be similarly released or prosecuted according to normal criminal proceedings if there is any criminal involvement on their part.

IPU’s Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians is a unique mechanism to protect MPs against violations of their fundamental rights. It currently has 83 cases involving 236 MPs from 39 countries.

All the resolutions in full detail will be posted on  www.ipu.org COB 24/10

For regional highlights of the Quebec resolutions, please see below

For further information, please contact:

Jemini Pandya, IPU, Tel: + 41 79 217 3374 or Email: jep@ipu.org

Follow IPU on Twitter: @IPUparliament

Follow the 127^th Assembly: #IPU127

SUMMARY OF HUMAN RIGHTS CASES AND RESOLUTIONS BY REGION

Africa

Eleven cases of human rights violations concerning 64 MPs in Cameroon, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Madagascar and Zimbabwe were examined.

IPU adopted resolutions on five of these cases concerning arbitrary arrest and detention, arbitrary invalidation of election results and unfair trials.

In Chad, the cases concerned Ngarleji Yorongar and Gali Ngote Gata, the latter’s case was resolved and closed; in the DRC, the cases concerned Jacques Chalupa, Eugène Diomi Ndongala and another group of 29 MPs.

Latin America

In Latin America, the Committee examined two cases of human rights violations involving six Colombian MPs.

IPU adopted a resolution on the case of Javier Enrique Caceres Leal, which highlights the need for MPs to be tried by an impartial court, able to appeal against a verdict and raises concerns over the credibility of testimonies by demobilized paramilitaries. IPU will continue to monitor the human rights situation of Ivan Cepeda Castro, Alexander López, Jorge Enrique Robledo, Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo and Wilson Arias Castillo.

Asia

In Asia, the Committee examined the human rights violations of 35 MPs in the Maldives, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand in a total of 14 cases.

IPU adopted resolutions on seven of the cases on issues of politically motivated criminal charges and sentences, unlawful detention, freedom of expression, parliamentary immunity and arbitrary disqualification. In the Maldives, the case concerned a group of 19 MPs. In Cambodia, it involved the cases of Sam Rainsy and Mu Socha. Only the latter case has been solved and closed. Further resolutions were adopted on Anwar Ibrahim in Malaysia, and on Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi and Riaz Fatyana in Pakistan, four MPs in the Philippines and Jatuporn Prompan in Thailand.

Middle-East

The Committee examined six cases of human rights violations concerning 18 MPs from Bahrain, Iraq and Palestine/Israel. IPU adopted resolutions on five of the cases on issues of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, detention without trial, unfair trials and politically motivated charges.

In Bahrain, the cases concerned Matar Ebrahim Matar and Jawad Fairuz Ghluloom; in Iraq, it concerned Mohamed Gatof Mansour al-Dainy. Further resolutions were adopted on the cases of Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Sa’adat and on a group of 12 other Palestinian MPs.

Europe

In Europe, the Committee examined four cases of human rights violations involving 13 MPs in three countries : Iceland, the Russian Federation and Turkey.

It adopted one resolution on a group of nine MPs in Turkey which raised fundamental issues of the right to a fair trial, unlawful detention and political interference in freedom of expression and the right to participate in political life.

UNION INTERPARLEMENTAIRE

COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE

L’UIP s’apprête à envoyer des missions de droits de l’homme aux Maldives et en Turquie

Québec/Genève, 24 octobre 2012 – A l’occasion de sa 127^ème Assemblée, qui se tient à Québec, l’Union interparlementaire a décidé aujourd’hui, sur recommandation de son Comité des droits de l’homme des parlementaires, d’envoyer des missions d’enquête aux Maldives et en Turquie.

L’UIP est en effet préoccupée par le climat de violence et d’affrontement qui règne actuellement aux Maldives, et profondément choquée par l’assassinat du parlementaire Afrasheem Ali.

Dans une résolution portant sur le dossier de 19 parlementaires issus du Parti démocratique des Maldives (MDP), qui seraient la cible de violences, d’arrestations arbitraires et d’inculpations motivées par des considérations politiques, l’Organisation se dit préoccupée par les allégations de mauvais traitements, de détentions arbitraires et de actes de harcèlement mettant en cause les forces de l’ordre.

Les Maldives traversent une crise politique depuis le mois de février, date à laquelle le Président Mohamed Nasheed a été remplacé par son Vice-Président Mohamed Waheed.  L’intimidation politique et les manifestations de violence que connaît le pays, suscitent une inquiétude croissante de la communauté internationale.

Aussi la mission de l’UIP aux Maldives vise-t-elle à recueillir des informations de première main. A l’invitation du Gouvernement des Maldives, elle rencontrera les autorités parlementaires, gouvernementales et judiciaires ainsi que les intéressés.

Parallèlement, une autre mission sera envoyée en Turquie dans le cadre du dossier de neuf parlementaires, dont six Kurdes, emprisonnés soit pour appartenance à des organisations conspirant en vue de renverser le parti au pouvoir, soit pour leur participation présumée à des complots visant à renverser le gouvernement.

Bien que le Parlement turc ait adopté une loi qui leur permettrait d’obtenir une libération provisoire, les neuf intéressés sont toujours en détention préventive, et pour certains depuis trois ans.

Le Comité des droits de l’homme des parlementaires de l’UIP a étudié 37 cas concernant 135 parlementaires de 21 pays et a pris des décisions sur 20 de ces cas.

Durant les quatre jours qu’a duré sa session, le Comité a tenu des auditions avec les délégations de l’Indonésie, de la Malaisie des Maldives, des Philippines, de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC), du Tchad et de la Turquie.

Parmi les nombreux cas africains qu’il a dû examiner, le Comité s’est dit vivement préoccupé par celui de M. Diomi Ndongala, parlementaire de l’opposition en République démocratique du Congo (RDC), qui aurait été arrêté arbitrairement, le 27 juin de cette année, alors qu’il s’apprêtait à signer la charte fondatrice d’un nouveau parti d’opposition. M. Ndongala allègue avoir été détenu au secret par les services du renseignement pendant près de quatre mois avant de réapparaître le 11 octobre très affaibli, son état nécessitant des soins médicaux. Les autorités ont nié ses allégations.

L’UIP a aussi noté avec préoccupation que la famille et les amis de M. Ndongala avaient fait l’objet de menaces et d’actes d’intimidation et qu’ils étaient surveillés depuis son arrestation, situation qui se serait encore aggravée depuis sa sortie de prison.  L’UIP appelle les autorités congolaises à veiller sur sa sécurité et celle de ses proches et demande qu’une enquête indépendante soit menée sur cette affaire.

Toutefois, il y a aussi matière à se réjouir.  Le Comité vient en effet de clore des dossiers tchadiens et cambodgiens.

L’UIP se félicite en outre de la libération, ces derniers mois, de 18 membres du Conseil législatif palestinien, qui faisaient l’objet d’une rétention administrative, notamment de son Président.  L’UIP ne doute pas que les cinq parlementaires palestiniens toujours détenus seront eux aussi libérés prochainement ou inculpés selon les procédures pénales ordinaires, si des faits précis leur sont reprochés.

Le Comité des droits de l’homme des parlementaires de l’UIP est un organe unique en son genre qui a vocation à protéger les parlementaires des atteintes à leurs droits fondamentaux.  Il est actuellement saisi de 83 cas qui concernent 236 parlementaires dans 39 pays.

Toutes les résolutions seront publiées dans leur intégralité à l’adresse suivante : www.ipu.org COB 24/10.

Pour des informations précises sur les résolutions de Québec, région par région, voir plus bas.

Pour plus ample information, prière de contacter :

Jemini Pandya, UIP, tél. : + 41 79 217 3374 ou courriel : jep@ipu.org

Vous pouvez nous suivre sur Twitter : @IPUparliament

Pour suivre la 127^ème Assemblée, faites le #IPU127.

Résumé des cas et des résolutions relatifs aux droits de l’homme par région

Afrique

Onze cas de violations des droits de l’homme concernant 64 parlementaires au Cameroun, au Tchad, en République démocratique du Congo, en Egypte, à Madagascar et au Zimbabwe ont été examinés. L’UIP a adopté des résolutions sur quatre de ces cas qui portaient sur des arrestations et détention arbitraires, sur l’invalidation arbitraire des résultats d’un scrutin et sur des procès irréguliers.

Au Tchad, les cas concernaient Ngarleji Yorongar et Gali Ngote Gata, ce dernier cas ayant été résolu et le dossier clos; en RDC, les cas concernaient Jacques Chalupa, Eugène Diomo Ndongala et un autre groupe de 29 autres parlementaires.

Amérique latine

En Amérique latine, le Comité a examiné deux cas d’atteintes aux droits de l’homme qui concernaient six parlementaires colombiens.

L’UIP a adopté une résolution sur le cas de Javier Enrique Caceres Leal où elle souligne la nécessité de juger les parlementaires devant des tribunaux impartiaux et de leur accorder des voies de recours, et met en doute la crédibilité des témoignages de miliciens qui ont déposé les armes. L’UIP continuera de suivre la situation d’Ivan Cepeda Castro, d’Alexander López, de Jorge Enrique Robledo, de Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo et de Wilson Arias Castillo.

Asie

En Asie, le Comité a examiné 14 cas d’atteintes aux droits de l’homme concernant 35 parlementaires dans les pays suivants : Maldives, Cambodge, Indonésie, Malaisie, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka et Thaïlande.

L’UIP a adopté des résolutions sur sept de ces cas, qui avaient trait à des poursuites et des condamnations pénales à caractère politique, à des détentions illégales, à des atteintes à la liberté d’expression, à l’immunité parlementaire, ainsi qu’à des révocations arbitraires. Aux Maldives, le cas examiné concerne un groupe de 19 parlementaires. Au Cambodge, le Comité s’est occupé des cas de Sam Rainsy et de Mu Socha. Seul celui de Mu Sochua a été réglé.

D’autres résolutions ont été adoptées concernant Anwar Ibrahim en Malaisie et Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi et Riaz Fatyana au Pakistan, quatre parlementaires philippins et Jatuporn Prompan en Thaïlande.

Moyen-Orient

Le Comité a examiné six cas d’atteintes aux droits de l’homme concernant 18 parlementaires dans les pays suivants : Bahreïn, Iraq et Palestine/Israël. Le Comité des droits de l’homme des parlementaires a adopté des résolutions sur cinq de ces cas, qui portaient sur des traitements cruels, inhumains ou dégradants, des détentions sans procès, des procès irréguliers et des accusations d’origine politique.

A Bahreïn, les cas concernaient Matar Ebrahim Matar et Jawad Fairuz Ghluloom; le cas irakien concernait Mohamed Gatof Mansour al-Dainy. D’autres résolutions ont été adoptées sur les cas de Marwan Barghouti, Ahmad Sa’adat et d’un groupe de douze autres parlementaires palestiniens.

Europe

En Europe, le Comité a examiné quatre cas d’atteintes aux droits de l’homme concernant 13 parlementaires dans trois pays : Islande, Fédération de Russie et Turquie.

Le Comité a adopté une résolution sur un groupe de neuf parlementaires turcs, dans laquelle il a soulevé des questions fondamentales relatives à l’équité des procès, aux détentions illégales, ainsi qu’à l’ingérence politique dans la liberté d’expression et le droit de participer à la vie politique.