Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Rainsy faces defamation charge for post about PM's ‘likes’

Rainsy faces defamation charge for post about PM's ‘likes’

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy last year speaks at a forum in France, where he is living in self-imposed exile to avoid pending defamation cases in Cambodia. Photo supplied
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy last year speaks at a forum in France, where he is living in self-imposed exile to avoid pending defamation cases in Cambodia. Photo supplied

Rainsy faces defamation charge for post about PM's ‘likes’

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy has been hit with yet another defamation case for publishing instructions, purportedly from a CPP official, asking ruling party members to create Facebook accounts to bolster Prime Minister Hun Sen’s fan base on the site.

On Wednesday, the Cambodia National Rescue Party president uploaded to his Facebook page a message purportedly from Hak Sok Makara, under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, which relays instructions from Sam Soeun, a Cambodian People’s Party cabinet member, for the party’s rank-and-file.

Members are told to promote the premier’s Facebook page at “all meetings”, ensure all members “like” his page and “unlike” Rainsy’s page, and to organise “technical working groups” to create accounts to “like” Hun Sen.

“These instructions clearly show that the ruling CPP is pushing – on a large scale – its officials, supporters and networks – including civil servants, policemen and soldiers – to create fake Facebook accounts in order to provide artificial ‘likes’ to Hun Sen’s Facebook page,” Rainsy’s post alleges.

The post prompted Soeun, 64, to yesterday lodge a defamation complaint with the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, which demands $5,000 compensation for damaging his reputation and that of Hun Sen.

“On March 9 on the Sam Rainsy Facebook page, there was a post whose meaning was intended to defame me, saying I gave instructions to all subordinates, supporters, and networks including civil servant, polices and soldiers to create fake accounts in order to like the prime minister’s page,” the complaint, obtained by the Post, reads.

“The post also included a description, saying most of the ‘likes’ on Samdech’s page are from buying ‘likes’ from poor people who are jobless… bought or hired to create fake Facebook account to give fake ‘likes’ to the prime minister’s page.

“The post seriously affects the reputation of the national leader and myself.”

Rainsy uploaded the message as part of a post highlighting a Wednesday story in the Post, which revealed that 80 per cent of the premier’s recent Facebook “likes” originated abroad, including more than 255,000 from India.

Likes can be bought from firms that use click farms, where low-paid workers in developing countries create accounts. Rainsy alleged this was the case with Hun Sen’s recent influx of international fans.

Soeun was unreachable yesterday, and CPP spokesman Sok Eysan said he had not heard of the lawsuit, but noted Soeun’s right to protect his reputation.

He denied the party had ordered members to like Hun Sen’s page and again rejected the assertion the premier had paid for likes from abroad.

“As we know, there are millions of CCP members; they came voluntarily to like without being instructed,” he said.

Rainsy is in self-imposed exile to avoid prison for an eight-year-old defamation case brought by Foreign Minister Hor Namhong. National Assembly President Heng Samrin has also initiated a separate defamation suit.

Via email yesterday, the CNRP president welcomed the publicity.

“I would like to thank them [the CPP] for the advertisement they are making for my denouncing of their illegitimate Facebook tricks and maneuvers,” Rainsy said.

Phnom Penh court president Taing Sunlay said no action had been taken yet.

“It depends on the prosecutor whether he will charge or not,” Sunlay said.

MOST VIEWED

  • Wing Bank opens new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004

    Wing Bank celebrates first anniversary as commercial bank with launch of brand-new branch. One year since officially launching with a commercial banking licence, Wing Bank on March 14 launched a new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004. The launch was presided over by

  • Siem Reap airport to close after new one opens

    After the new Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI) opens in October, the existing complex serving the northwestern province will be “completely closed”, according to State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) spokesman Sin Chansereyvutha. SAI developer Angkor International Airport Investment (Cambodia) Co Ltd (AIAI) last month

  • Girl from Stung Meanchey dump now college grad living in Australia

    After finishing her foundational studies at Trinity College and earning a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Melbourne in 2022, Ron Sophy, a girl who once lived at the Stung Meanchey garbage dump and scavenged for things to sell, is now working at a private

  • Rare plant fetches high prices from Thai, Chinese

    Many types of plants found in Cambodia are used as traditional herbs to treat various diseases, such as giloy or guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) or aromatic/sand ginger (Kaempferia galangal) or rough cocklebur (Xanthium Strumartium). There is also a plant called coral, which is rarely grown

  • Ministry using ChatGPT AI to ‘ease workload’; Khmer version planned

    The Digital Government Committee is planning to make a Khmer language version of popular artificial intelligence (AI) technology ChatGPT available to the public in the near future, following extensive testing. On March 9, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications revealed that it has been using the

  • Cambodia returns 15M Covid jabs to China

    Prime Minister Hun Sen said Cambodia will return 15 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to China for donation to other countries. The vaccines in question were ordered but had not yet arrived in Cambodia. While presiding over the Ministry of Health’s annual meeting held on