The opposition party’s planned complaint to the International Criminal Court against government officials for long-term rights abuses will likely be beaten to the punch by a US lawyer and rights activist, Voice of America reported on Friday.
According to VOA, Morton Sklar, executive director of the World Organization for Human Rights USA, will file a complaint to the ICC early this month against Prime Minister Hun Sen. Sklar’s filing will include both recent crackdowns on demonstrators and alleged efforts by the premier to interfere at the Khmer Rouge tribunal, he told VOA.
Richard Rogers, an international lawyer engaged by the Cambodia National Rescue Party to work on a potential complaint, said his investigation was “ongoing” and that nothing was expected to be filed before April.
He added that while Sklar’s investigation was separate, the two were in close contact.
“The fact that two international legal teams are currently investigating the crimes in Cambodia should serve as a wake-up call to the Cambodian state security forces,” he said.
Sklar, who has previously helped opposition leader Sam Rainsy file complaints against Hun Sen in US courts, could not be reached for comment.
Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan dismissed the complaints yesterday as politically motivated.
