Son Chhay’s defense lawyer has filed an appeal against a defamation conviction over the Candlelight Party vice president saying that votes were stolen during this year’s commune election.
Defense lawyer Choung Chou Ngy said on Tuesday that he had submitted his appeal last week over the $750,000 in damages Chhay was ordered to pay to the ruling CPP by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
“Son Chhay had no intention to defame the Cambodia People’s Party and had no intention to defame the National Election Committee. He had the intention to advocate for the NEC to be free and fair. So he did not commit the crime as he has been charged. That is why he is contesting it and demanding the charges against him be dropped.”
Phnom Penh court spokesman Y Rin could not be reached for comment.
Chhay faced two lawsuits — one from the CPP and the other from the NEC — after alleging there was a “stealing” of votes during the June 5 commune election. The ruling party received around 75% of ballots amid accusations of intimidation against opposition activists and voters.
— Nat Sopheap
Hun Sen Holds Talks With Ukraine PM
Cambodia is ready to dispatch deminers to help train Ukrainians, Prime Minister Hun Sen told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday.
In a telephone call around 4 p.m. Cambodia time, the two leaders discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to a Foreign Affairs Ministry statement.
Zelensky thanked Cambodia for signing onto U.N. resolutions about the war, and for three Asean statements in support of Ukraine. Cambodia is chairing the regional bloc this year.
Zelensky invited Hun Sen to visit Ukraine, and also requested to play a video message at the Asean Summit in Phnom Penh next week, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Hun Sen, meanwhile, spoke of Cambodia’s experience with war, and said the country was against aggression and the secession or annexation of territory by other countries.
He proposed appointing ambassadors between the two countries, and added that Cambodia was ready to dispatch demining trainers to Ukraine as part of a collaboration with Japan, the Foreign Ministry said.
— Michael Dickison
