By Khmerization
Source: RFA
The Phnom Penh Court has summoned Mr. Bun Tha, editor of the opposition-affiliated Khmer Amatak newspaper (pictured), to appear before the court on 3rd August after Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary of State of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, re-opened his old defamation lawsuit against him, reports Radio Free Asia.
Dr. Kao Kim Hourn's lawsuit against Khmer Amatak came only a few days after the government lodged a lawsuit against Mr. Bun Tha over an article critical of the 1997 coup. The Government has since withdrawn lawsuit after Bun Tha apologised.
Mr. Bun Tha said he is ready to defend the case in court, but said he is a little bit concerned because the plaintiff is a powerful senior government official. "I have a lawyer to represent me. I'm a little bit concerned because he (the plaintiff) is a senior government official. Because of that, I'm a bit concerned. I'm more concerned about this case than my (other) personal individual cases", he said.
Mr. Kao Kim Hourn said he was forced to take legal action because the editor refused to publish corrections over a report he said was incorrect and defamatory. "It is a defamation against my good reputation and my university because he refused to negotiate to find a solution to the matter. He has always told me to take the matter to court, but I never wanted to take the matter to court", he said.
Kao Kim Hourn tried to sue Bun Tha once over the same matter in late 2009 for defamation after the newspaper claimed that he and his University of Cambodia had overcharged Cambodian students for scholarship application forms to study in Japan which were offered for free by the Japanese government.
Kao Kim Hourn was not new to controversies. Late last year, he was involved in a controversial fraud and embezzlement lawsuit which saw his business partner, Sem Sovandeth, jailed after he accused him of embezzlement.
In the last few years, the Cambodian government seemed to have stepped up lawsuits against journalists, critics and opposition politicians which have seen opposition leader Mr. Sam Rainsy being forced into exile and opposition MP Mu Sochua convicted of defamation against Prime Minister Hun Sen, a conviction that has been criticised as politically manufactured by the ruling party-controlled Cambodian court.
Source: RFA
The Phnom Penh Court has summoned Mr. Bun Tha, editor of the opposition-affiliated Khmer Amatak newspaper (pictured), to appear before the court on 3rd August after Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary of State of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, re-opened his old defamation lawsuit against him, reports Radio Free Asia.
Dr. Kao Kim Hourn's lawsuit against Khmer Amatak came only a few days after the government lodged a lawsuit against Mr. Bun Tha over an article critical of the 1997 coup. The Government has since withdrawn lawsuit after Bun Tha apologised.
Mr. Bun Tha said he is ready to defend the case in court, but said he is a little bit concerned because the plaintiff is a powerful senior government official. "I have a lawyer to represent me. I'm a little bit concerned because he (the plaintiff) is a senior government official. Because of that, I'm a bit concerned. I'm more concerned about this case than my (other) personal individual cases", he said.
Mr. Kao Kim Hourn said he was forced to take legal action because the editor refused to publish corrections over a report he said was incorrect and defamatory. "It is a defamation against my good reputation and my university because he refused to negotiate to find a solution to the matter. He has always told me to take the matter to court, but I never wanted to take the matter to court", he said.
Kao Kim Hourn tried to sue Bun Tha once over the same matter in late 2009 for defamation after the newspaper claimed that he and his University of Cambodia had overcharged Cambodian students for scholarship application forms to study in Japan which were offered for free by the Japanese government.
Kao Kim Hourn was not new to controversies. Late last year, he was involved in a controversial fraud and embezzlement lawsuit which saw his business partner, Sem Sovandeth, jailed after he accused him of embezzlement.
In the last few years, the Cambodian government seemed to have stepped up lawsuits against journalists, critics and opposition politicians which have seen opposition leader Mr. Sam Rainsy being forced into exile and opposition MP Mu Sochua convicted of defamation against Prime Minister Hun Sen, a conviction that has been criticised as politically manufactured by the ruling party-controlled Cambodian court.
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