UN criticizes arrest warrant against Cambodia opposition chief

Daily Mail / AFP | 17 November 2015

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday that an arrest warrant issued against Cambodia's opposition leader Sam Rainsy was a worrisome development and called for dialogue.

Rainsy cancelled a planned return from South Korea to Cambodia on Monday, fearing arrest over an unserved two-year sentence for defamation.

Ban expressed concern and said "the arrest warrant issued against opposition leader Sam Rainsy on 13 November and earlier incidents against opposition parliamentarians and leaders are worrisome developments."

An arrest warrant for Sam Rainsy and other moves targeting Cambodian opposition figures are "worrisome developments," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, pictured November 15 in Turkey, on November 17 2015 ©Ozan Kose (AFP/File)

He called for dialogue and encouraged all political players to "refrain from violence, intimidation and harassment."

"A non-threatening environment of democratic dialogue is essential for political stability and a peaceful society," he added.

Rainsy is Prime Minister Hun Sen's main rival and was in self-exile at the time of the sentence as he also faced a string of other convictions he claimed were trumped-up.