Phnom Penh (Cambodia), July 25:A Cambodian court on Thursday found the president of the country’s main opposition party guilty of defamation and ordered him to pay USD 1.5 million in damages to the government, his lawyer and legal observers said.
Teav Vannol, president of the opposition Candlelight Party, was not present for the court’s ruling and is believed to be outside Cambodia. He holds dual Cambodian-U.S. Citizenship. His lawyer, Choung Chou Ngy, said he will talk with his client about whether to file an appeal.
Thursday’s verdict was the third conviction against a top leader of the Candlelight Party in under two years.
Cambodia’s government has long been accused of using the judicial system to persecute critics and political opponents. The government insists it promotes the rule of law under an electoral democracy, but political parties seen as mounting strong challenges to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party have been dissolved by the courts or had their leaders jailed or harassed.
The case against Teav Vannol alleged he had committed defamation in comments he made charging that democracy was regressing under the government of Prime Minister Hun Manet, who came to power last year. Hun Manet is the son of and successor to Hun Sen, who was prime minister for 38 years.
Teav Vannol acknowledged that he said Hun Manet’s leadership was more “restrictive” than his father’s, and that democracy had regressed, as opposition politicians, activists and other critics were being arrested. He made his comments in an interview he did in Japan in February.
He also acknowledged claiming that a security camera had been set up on a road near his home to monitor his activities, but said his comment was misconstrued as blaming that on the government.
The Cambodian government in March filed its legal complaint to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, accusing Teav Vannol of marring the image of the head of the government — Hun Manet — with his comments.
Article 305 of Cambodia’s Criminal Code declares that defamation shall mean any allegation or charge made in bad faith which tends to injure the honor or reputation of a person or an institution.
“This verdict is the latest in a string of convictions aimed at silencing the government’s political opponents,” Naly Pilorge, outreach director of the local rights group LICADHO, said after the court’s ruling.
“As an opposition party president, Vannol gave comments critical of his political rival to journalists – how can that possibly be a crime? Any hope for democracy and political freedom relies on the ability of all citizens to freely voice their concerns and criticisms of the country’s political leaders.”
Under former Prime Minister Hun Sen, Cambodia under was widely criticized for human rights abuses that included suppression of freedom of speech and association. There have been few signs of political liberalization under the government headed by his son, Hun Manet.
The Candlelight Party, the only contender capable of mounting a credible challenge in last year’s general election, was barred on a technicality from contesting the polls by the National Election Committee. The election body, as well as the courts, are widely seen as being under the influence of the Cambodian People’s Party, which coasted to an easy victory. (AP)
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