Australia Network News
Four survivors of a notorious Khmer Rouge prison have
taken a Cambodian opposition member to court for allegedly describing
the jail as a Vietnamese fabrication.
Cambodia National Rescue
Party's (CNRP) Kem Sokha will face a civil law claim of public
defamation for allegedly saying the Tuol Sleng prison was invented by
the Vietnamese when they ousted the Khmer Rouge in 1979.
"The lawsuit is about public defamation over his comment about Tuol Sleng," lawyer Kouy Thunna said.
The lawyer said Mr Sokha could be fined up to $2,500 if found guilty.
Chum
Mey, one of the four survivors of the prison regime, says they decided
to sue because Mr Sokha refused to apologise for the alleged remarks.
"We
are demanding $1,000 from him in compensation in order to cover a
religious ceremony for the dead so their souls will be calm," he said.
Around 20,000 Cambodians protested in the capital on Sunday, demanding an apology for Mr Sokha's comments.
The
CNRP has denounced the move as the latest in a series of politically
motivated attacks aimed at the opposition party ahead of July's general
election.
The CNRP says the remarks, which were posted on a
government website last month, were doctored to cause trouble before
upcoming elections in which Prime Minister Hun Sen is looking to extend
his almost 30 years in power.
Mr Sokha has accused Hun Sen's
ruling party of inciting the protests against him and complained that
his political meetings this week were disrupted by hundreds of
protesters.
Cambodia's parliament last week passed a law banning the denial of atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge regime.
AFP
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