Cambodian court orders exiled ex-opposition leader to pay 1 mln USD to PM in defamation case

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian court on Friday ordered exiled ex-opposition leader Sam Rainsy to pay 1 million U.S. dollars in compensation to Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen in a defamation case.

Hun Sen filed a defamation lawsuit against Sam Rainsy, former president of the now-defunct Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), in January after Sam Rainsy accused him of giving 1 million U.S. dollars to social media celebrity Thy Sovantha to attack the then-CNRP.

In the lawsuit, the prime minister demanded a compensation of 1 million U.S. dollars from Sam Rainsy.

"After examining document and evidence, the court found Sam Rainsy guilty of defaming Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and ordered him to pay 4 billion riel (1 million U.S. dollars) to the prime minister," Phnom Penh Municipal Court presiding judge Heng Sokna read a verdict after a two-hour hearing.

Hun Sen warned in February that he would ask the court to freeze Sam Rainsy's property, including the headquarters of the dissolved CNRP, for auction if he won the case.

Sam Rainsy, 68, has been living in self-imposed exile in France since November 2015 to avoid at least eight-year-prison sentence for defamation and incitement cases.

On Nov. 16, the country's Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP after Sam Rainsy's successor Kem Sokha was arrested in Sept. 3 and charged with treason for conspiring with a foreign power in an attempt to overthrow the government. Enditem