The Senate is set to vote today on whether to strip the senatorial immunity of opposition Senator Thak Lany, after the body’s permanent committee yesterday decided to hold a plenary session following a request by the Appeal Court.

A letter released after the 13-member committee’s meeting, signed by the Senate Secretary-General Um Sarith, stated that the session would be held at 8am.

According to Senate spokesman Mam Bunneang, 10 committee members voted to send the court’s request to remove Lany’s immunity to a full vote.

Lany has been accused by Prime Minister Hun Sen of “slander” and “incitement” for allegedly suggesting he was involved in the murder of prominent political analyst Kem Ley.

While the motion to remove her immunity requires a two-thirds majority vote, the ruling Cambodian People’s Party holds more than enough seats in the chamber to approve it.

Commenting on the swift granting of the Appeal Court request, Bunneang said that there was no stipulated timeframe for such matters and the committee also wanted to ensure senators could quickly return to their communities to register to vote.