IPU Logo-top>>> VERSION FRANÇAISE  
 IPU Logo-middleInter-Parliamentary Union  
IPU Logo-bottomChemin du Pommier 5, C.P. 330, CH-1218 Le Grand-Saconnex/Geneva, Switzerland  

CAMBODIA
CASE N° CMBD/18 - CHEAM CHANNY
CASE N° CMBD/19 - SIPHAN PHAY
CASE N° CMBD/20 - SAVATH POU

Resolution adopted by consensus by the IPU Governing Council at its 179th session
(Geneva, 18 October 2006)


The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Referring to the case of Mr. Chhang Song, Mr. Siphan Phay and Mr. Savath Pou, members (expelled) of the Senate of Cambodia, as outlined in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/179/11(a)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 178th session (May 2006),

Recalling its persistent concern that the Senators concerned were dismissed from parliament, following their expulsion from their political party, the Cambodian People's Party, on 6 December 2001, in the absence of any provisions under the Constitution or the Standing Orders prescribing forfeiture of the parliamentary mandate in the event of expulsion from a political party,

Recalling further that, in an effort to prevent the recurrence of similar cases, an expert from the French Senate provided assistance in April 2003 for the drafting of revised Standing Orders; he advised, in keeping with IPU views, that no provision should be made prescribing forfeiture of the parliamentary mandate in the event of expulsion from a political party,

Noting that the amended Senate Standing Orders, a copy of which as forwarded by the President of the Senate in July 2006, do not provide for the loss of the parliamentary mandate in the event of expulsion from the political party on whose ticket a person was elected; noting further that, in the conversation he had with the President of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians during the 115th Assembly (October 2006), the leader of the Cambodian delegation stated that the Standing Orders enumerated all grounds for the loss of the parliamentary mandate and that, consequently, senators would not lose their mandate in the event of the expulsion from their political party,

  1. Thanks the President of the Senate for his consistent cooperation in this case;

  2. Is gratified that the IPU's recommendations have been taken into account to prevent the recurrence of similar cases; is convinced that the new provisions will strengthen the independence of the Senate vis-à-vis the executive branch;

  3. Regrets nevertheless that the persons concerned lost their mandate on the basis of what it considered to have been legally unsound proceedings and suffered serious prejudice as a result;

  4. Decides to close this case.
Note: you can download a complete electronic version of the brochure "Results of the 115th IPU Assembly and related meetings in PDF format (file size 493K approximately ). This version requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, which you can download free of charge.Get Acrobat Reader

HOME PAGEred cubeHUMAN RIGHTSred cubeMAIN AREAS OF ACTIVITYred cubeIPU STRUCTURE AND DOCUMENTS