SAM RAINSY, THE CAMBODIAN EXILED OPPOSITION LEADER HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF DEFAMATION BY A COURT IN CAMBODIA. HE IS TO PAY A FINE OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS.

Sam Rainsy, the Cambodia exiled opposition leader was on Friday, 29 December 2017 found guilty of defamation by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in Cambodia and he was ordered to pay a fine of $1 million. According to the report, Sam Rainsy in a Facebook post claimed that the country’s Prime Minister (Hun Sen) bribed an activist to break up Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). The Prime Minister brought the case against him (Sam Rainsy) and his political party, Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) to the court in January. Sam Rainsy has been in self-imposed exile in France since late 2015 to avoid the two year jail term against him on charges of criminal defamation. Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) was dissolved last month (November) by the country’s Supreme Court. Also over 100 lawmakers who were members of the opposition party (CNRP) were banned by the country’s highest court ahead of Cambodia 2018 general election.