The prime minister’s eldest son, Hun Manet, is following in his father’s footsteps – targeting Facebook users with legal action.

The senior military official yesterday filed a complaint with the National Police against a Facebook user who allegedly claimed Manet and his mother were patrons of two tycoons accused of illegal logging.

According to the complaint, a user named Chham Chhany posted an article that said Manet was “behind” business magnate Lim Bunna, while his mother was “behind” Soeng Sam Ol. Both tycoons have been singled out by the government amid a continuing crackdown on illegal logging and timber smuggling across Cambodia’s border with Vietnam.

Channy allegedly claimed that both Manet and Rany had intervened on behalf of Lim Bunna and Soeng Sam Ol to ensure that the investigation would find their activities to be legal.

“The post and some other articles from Chham Chhany’s Facebook are complete exaggerations that affected the honor and dignity of me and my family strongly,” the complaint reads.

In a Facebook post last night, Manet said the “exercise of a person’s freedom of expression” must be legal and not infringe on others’ rights, such as to live “in decency and honor or without prejudice.”

“Any person who violates these two conditions must be held accountable for his/her actions,” he wrote.

A National Police spokesman could not be reached.

The complaint is the latest in a string of legal actions against Facebook users who have allegedly impugned or threatened Prime Minister Hun Sen and his family.

A man has been arrested for allegedly posting a death threat against Hun, while another user overseas is being sought for posting a photoshopped image of Bun Rany with her legs apart and a third is being investigated for starting a rumour that Hun Sen had died.

In late December, Hun Sen warned that Facebook users who criticised him or government policy could be traced in a matter of hours.