Court decided not to detain Khmer Amatak's editor

By Khmerization
Source: DAP News

The Phnom Penh Magistrate Court decided not to detain the editor of Khmer Amatak newspaper, Mr. Bun Tha, after he attended the court hearing on Monday in relation to a defamation and disinformation lawsuit lodged by Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary of State of Ministry of Foreign Affairs andf Rector of the University of Cambodia, reports Deum Ampil.

Dr. Kao Kim Hourn sued Mr. Bun Tha in October 2009 after the Khmer Amatak newspaper published an article accusing the university of corruption after students claimed the university overcharging them for application forms to sit for the test for a scholarship.

Outside the court, Mr. Bun Tha thanked the court for allowing him to go free. "I wish to thank the court for not detaining me", he said.

He said he is willing to publish a correction and an apology but Dr. Kao Kim Hourn refused to accept the offer. "I wish to end this case by publishing a correction but Mr. Kao Kim Hourn refused to accept this offer", he said.

The newspaper claimed that the Japanese government is offering 500 scholarships to poor Cambodian students. It charged that the students complained that the University of Cambodia charged them 20,000-25,000 riels ($5-$5.55) for each application form that could only cost 500 riels to produce. Mr. Bun Tha alleged that with 20,000 copies of application forms sold, the university could make a substantial profit.

Dr. Kao Kim Hourn sued Mr. Bun Tha for $100,000 in compensation, claiming the article is defamatory. The case is ongoing.