Cambodia’s deputy opposition leader ordered to appear in court hinh anh 1Kem Sokha, deputy leader of opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (Photo: EPA/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - A Cambodian court on June 2 issued a warrant ordering deputy opposition leader and lawmaker Kem Sokha to present himself in the court on June 14 for questioning over a case of "refusal to appear".

The warrant, signed by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court's Investigating Judge Thann Leng, ordered Kem Sokha, 63, to appear in the court at 9:00 a.m. on June 14.

It was issued after Sokha, deputy leader of opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, ignored court summonses twice over a case involving his alleged mistress.

On May 26, the court prosecutor requested police to arrest Sokha for committing a "red-handed" crime of ignoring the summonses. The prosecutor charged him with "refusal to appear" under Article 538 of the Penal Code, and he could face a prison term of between one and six months.

Sokha has been hiding in his party's headquarters on the southern outskirts of Phnom Penh, as dozens of his supporters have gathered at the party' s headquarters to protect him.

The accusation against the deputy opposition leader stems from leaked audio clips of telephone conversation between him and his alleged mistress in February.-VNA
VNA