Former Adelaide school teacher Son Chhay has been found guilty of defamation in a Cambodian court and ordered to pay the ruling party the equivalent of $1.2 million for criticising local commune elections held in June.
The 66-year-old, who is vice-president of the Cambodian opposition Candlelight Party, appeared in the Phnom Penh Municipal Court last week after complaints were lodged by the National Election Commission (NEC) and the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), led by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
The municipal court said the charge was related to a comment by Son Chhay that recent commune council election results “do not reflect the will of the people, who were intimidated. Their votes were bought and stolen.”
