AKP Phnom Penh, December 14, 2018 --

The National Assembly (NA) of Cambodia approved the proposed law on amendment to the Law on Political Parties yesterday morning under the presidency of Samdech Akka Moha Ponhea Chakrei Heng Samrin, President of NA. 

In total, 115 lawmakers present at the NA session voted for the amendment which added a paragraph to article 45 at the request of 87 lawmakers last week, as saying “any persons, who are banned by the court from doing political activities, will be granted their full rights to do politics after passing the validity of the ban defined by the Supreme Court’s verdict or in case those persons are granted the royal pardon by His Majesty the King proposed by the Prime Minister at the request of Interior Minister.”

Regarding to this, at the gathering with 17,621 workers from 23 factories and enterprises in Samrong Tong district, Kampong Speu province on Dec. 12, Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen underlined that the amendment does not refer to any political party or group, but to all political parties in Cambodia. 

According to the Cambodian Premier, under the Prison Law, the Prime Minister can request a royal pardon from His Majesty the King for any prisoners, but the Law on Political Parties does not give way to the Prime Minister to ask for a royal pardon for any political parties' leaders who are banned from politics. Therefore, he added, the only choice is to amend the law in order to give rights to the Premier to request His Majesty the King to withdraw the ban. 

By Khan Sophirom