Phnom Penh , Nov. 11 – Ministry of Justice’s Secretary of State and spokesman Kim Santepheap, on 11 November 2018, clearly explained to the public that Prime Minister of Cambodia has the privilege to request for amnesty for the convict any time in accordance with Article 77 of Cambodia’s Prison Law, and that it is not interfering with the judicial power.

Article 77 stated that “If necessary, Head of the Royal Government has the privilege to request to His Majesty to grant amnesty to convict any time.”

According to the Secretary of State, the word “convict” is defined as a person who has been sentenced.

“Exercising the privilege or not is the decision of the Prime Minister and that is not an interference into judicial power,” Santepheap said.

It is worth noting that several individuals have misrepresented the use of the Prime Minister’s right to request amnesty for convicts as an interference to judicial system. As a matter of fact, the request for amnesty is the privilege of Prime Minister in accordance with Cambodia’s prison law.