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Cambodian opposition senator stripped of immunity following PM's lawsuit

Xinhua, September 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Cambodian Senate on Thursday stripped the immunity of opposition senator Thak Lany, paving the way for the court to prosecute her in a lawsuit brought by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen.

Forty-six senators from the ruling Cambodian People's Party unanimously voted to remove Lany's immunity, as all 11 opposition senators boycotted the closed-door session, said senate spokesman Mam Bunneang.

"The removal of her immunity this morning is to give rights to the court to prosecute her in accordance with legal procedures," he told reporters after the session.

Under the kingdom's constitution, to lift a senator's immunity, the 61-seat Senate will require a two-thirds majority vote, or 41 votes.

Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen sued Lany on Aug. 1 for allegedly accusing him of having prominent political analyst Kem Ley murdered.

Lany's whereabouts remain unknown. Some local media reported that she is believed to have fled the country soon after the complaint.

Hun Sen also filed a similar lawsuit against Sam Rainsy, leader-in-exile of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, for claiming that the government was behind the murder of Kem Ley.

Kem Ley, 46, was shot dead at a mini-mart in Phnom Penh on July 10 when he was drinking a coffee.

Shortly after the murder, police arrested a 38-year-old suspect with a Glock pistol. The suspect identified himself as "Chuob Samlab," which translates in English as "Meet Kill."

The suspect confessed to the crime, claiming that he got furious with Kem Ley, who owed him 3,000 U.S. dollars, but failed to pay him back, according to police. Endit