Phnom Penh (FN), June 17 – Senior General Khieu Sopheak of the Ministry of Interior told Fresh News this afternoon of June 17, 2016 that the commission formed to investigate and examine thumbprint irregularities attached to the petition by the opposition party to seek the King’s intervention for the release of human right workers and national election committee officer is in the process of preparing a special report to the government.

In addition to reporting to the government, Gen. Sopheak said he personally would like to urge that opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party’s official Yem Ponharith be held accountable to irregularities found with the thumbprints and that Mr. Ponharith shall bring a person who has been found giving thumbprints to 86 names on the petition for questioning.

“The commission is now preparing a special report to the government on irregularities found with thumbprints attached to a petition by CNRP submitted to the King to seek his intervention for the release of the human right workers and national election committee officer,” Gen. Sopheak said.

“I personally would like to see that Mr. Yem Ponharith be held accountable to the irregularities. Moreover, he should try to find a person who has been found with thumbprints on 86 names. Otherwise, the government would report these irregularities to the King,” added Gen. Sopheak.

Gen. Sopheak made his remark after the commission for thumbprint examination has found irregularities with the petition as follows: 1) the thumbprints collected from only 21 provinces and municipalities and not 25 as stated in the petition; 2) some of the thumbprints do not have names of the persons and vice versa; 3) others do not have addresses. What is most noticeable is that there is one thumbprint that was placed on as many as to 86 names.

On May 30, 2016, CNRP lawmakers represented by Mr. Yem Ponharith submitted to His Majesty the King a package of people’s petition that includes 18 folders with around 170,000 thumbprints to seek his intervention for the release of the four Adhoc human rights workers and one official of the National Election Committee. The petition also urged the release of the imprisoned senior CNRP members and lawmakers as well as for the court to drop charges against CNRP’s vice president, Kem Sokha
=FRESH NEWS