TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Cambodian Embassy in Jakarta asked Indonesia to immediately arrest and deport Mu Sochua, the country's exile and deputy chairman of the Cambodian National Rescue Party or CNRP. The party had been dissolved by the Cambodian Court of Justice in November 2017.

The Embassy made the request through a release issued on November 6, 2019.

"The embassy of Cambodia in Jakarta requests Indonesian authorities to arrest Mu Sochua and deport her to Cambodia immediately in the true spirit of ASEAN," the statement said.

The statement said that Mu Sochua's party has been made illegal in Cambodia. She has been named fugitive and an arrest warrant was issued by Phnom Penh City Court on October 2 for an alleged crime of attacking a legally-elected government.

Mu Sochua did not appear in court, and fled overseas instead. She now resides in the United States.

"The Cambodian government has sent a request for all ASEAN member countries to arrest and deport Mu Sochua to Cambodia.

The Cambodian embassy also said that the Malaysian authorities on November 5 arrested two Cambodian activists while they were trying to fly to Bangkok.

"They are supporters of Mu Sochua's party."

The Cambodian embassy's statement said it was "unfortunate" that Indonesia had allowed Sochua to enter the country despite an arrest warrant on her.

Maria Rita Hasugian