The Cambodia National Rescue Party yesterday slammed the decision to send a case against acting party president Kem Sokha to trial, calling the court a political tool that had “abused the constitution”.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court investigating judge Than Leng decided on Tuesday that a charge for “refusal to appear” levied against Sokha on May 26 should go to trial, though a date has yet to be set.

In a statement yesterday, the party demanded the court drop the case, which concerns the opposition leader’s decision to not appear for questioning as part of a “prostitution” case against him connected to an alleged affair with a hairdresser.

“Members of parliament for the [CNRP] can absolutely not accept the decision of the prosecutor and investigating judge of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, who have charged and sent His Excellency Kem Sokha’s [case] . . . to trial without suspending his parliamentary immunity beforehand,” the statement reads.

“The court’s charge is unreasonable according to the law . . . this is just a pretext to provoke and burden the Cambodia National Rescue Party.”

Cambodian People’s Party spokesman Sok Eysan, however, rejected the widely held belief that the case was politically motivated.