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Cambodia's Senate slams EU, Australian senator for calling for opposition leader's return

Xinhua, November 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Senate of Cambodia on Friday lashed out at the European Parliament and an Australian senator for calling on the Cambodian government to revoke the arrest warrant for the country's opposition leader Sam Rainsy.

"The spokesman for the Senate considers the calls by the European Parliament and Australian senator (Scott Ludlam) as the interference of internal affairs and the violation of sovereignty of Cambodia," senator Mam Bun Neang, spokesman for the Senate, said in a statement.

He said the arrest warrant issued on Nov. 13 for Rainsy, president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was not political, but personal between Rainsy and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.

"The spokesman for the Senate hopes the European Parliament and the Australian senator respect the principles of democracy and rule of law and should clearly learn about the real situation in Cambodia," the spokesman said.

The European Parliament on Thursday passed a resolution demanding the Cambodian government to revoke the arrest warrant and all charges issued against Sam Rainsy and CNRP members.

Sam Rainsy is currently in self-imposed exile to avoid a two-year prison sentence over a 2011 conviction for defaming Hor Namhong. Enditem