Suit filed against Rainsy
do bad activities and to lead demonstrations against the CNRP and other things,” Sovantha said.
“These [allegations] contradicted reality, so I decided to file a complaint.”
In the messages leaked to Sovantha’s Facebook account, users referring to each other as “grandpa” and “grandchild” discuss undermining the CNRP, among other topics. One message has “grandpa” saying he has provided $1 million to fund “grandchild’s work”.
A separate batch of messages, leaked in a video, were said to feature Sovantha colluding with the premier’s second son, Hun Manith, to discredit Sokha.
However, Sovantha said both exchanges were made up as part of a “set-up” to give critics the pretext to attack Cambodia’s leaders and thus provide a boost for the opposition.
Officials with the Ministry of Defence, where Manith is a high-ranking official, never denied the authenticity of the recordings, but dismissed them as a personal matter.
Since fleeing to France in 2015 to avoid arrest for a two-year conviction related to a revived defamation case brought by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Hor Namhong, Rainsy has been hit with several lawsuits, all widely considered politically motivated.
Via email, Rainsy – who was officially barred from the country late last year – stood by his comments.
“I confirm to have said that Hun Sen had proposed to give 1 million USD to the girl, based on a message from Hun Sen in person broadly posted on Facebook, which has not been denied by the prime minister or his entourage,” he said.