The person in front of you here is a fugitive, she is also a criminal for Cambodia.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Ambassador of Cambodia to Indonesia, Hor Nambora, interrupted a press conference of opposition leader, Vice President of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, Mu Sochua, in Jakarta Wednesday. "The person in front of you here is a fugitive. She is also a criminal for Cambodia," Nambora said to the press referring to Sochua before the conference began.

Sochua was holding the press conference facilitated by the Kurawal Foundation, a Jakarta-based non-profit organization that promotes press freedom and democracy.

She issued a press statement to emphasize that exiled CNRP leaders, among whom are acting president of the party, Sam Rainsy, and Sochua herself, will stick to their plan of returning home on November 9, when Cambodia celebrates its 66th independence day.

On behalf of Cambodia's current regime, Nambora objected to Sochua’s press conference. In a letter of protest dated November 5, 2019, addressed to Darmawan Triwibowo, the Executive Director of the foundation, Nambora said, "it would not be appropriate for the Kurawal Foundation to host her."

Related news: Cambodian opposition leader insists she will return home

Stating that he planned to reply to the letter, Triwibowo said he had not invited the Cambodian Embassy representative but the Ambassador showed up anyway.

Nambora himself affirmed the statement while responding to a question during Sochua’s press conference, when he told Triwibowo, "I was your unwanted guest."

Nambora and Sochua debated during the conference, on whether the Cambodian government would arrest Sochua and Rainsy after they passed through Thailand's border into Cambodia.

"Of course, because we have a law on the issue, and she knows," Nambora said.

Sochua responded, "We have already been labeled as traitors; we have been charged; we have the sentence, in front of which court? Which court? We go home, adjusted to Article 31 of Cambodia's constitution. All Cambodian citizens shall have an equal opportunity in front of the law."

Reporter: Suwanti
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2019