Cambodia: Sam Rainsy sentenced to four years in jail hinh anh 1Sam Rainsy, former president of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), who lives in exile in Paris. (Photo: Khmer Times)

Phnom Penh (VNA) - Sam Rainsy, former president of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was sentenced on December 30 to four years in jail after being found guilty of insulting Interior Minister Sar Kheng over a claim that the Cambodian government killed former national police chief Hok Lungdy in 2008.

The court also ordered Rainsy to pay 1,000 USD in fine, the Khmer Times reported.

Judge Ros Piseth said that Rainsy was charged with two counts of “public insulting and incitement to commit a felony” under Articles 306, 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code.

Kheng sued Rainsy to the court in July this year over a Facebook post which claimed that Kheng was supporting Lieutenant General Dy Vichea, director of the Interior Ministry’s security central department, to take revenge against Prime Minister Hun Sen over the 2008 death of his father, Hok Lundy.

Rainsy, who is now living in exile in Paris, was also sentenced to two years in jail for instigating people who had debts with banks or microfinance institutions to halt servicing their debts, including paying interest because the crisis was sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. His appeal was made in May this year./.
VNA