Two more leaders of the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) are facing new lawsuits according to the opposition party officials and the Phnom Penh court. The two are known as the SRP general secretary Eng Chhay Eang and Ms. Tioulong Saumura, wife of SRP president Sam Rainsy.
The two are allegedly being sued in the military court by Prime Minister's Hun Sen head of security General Hing Bun Heang for libel in the 1997 grenade attack.
It's not known why the two SRP officials are reportedly being sued for libel. In a newly released DVD, Ms. Saumura and Mr. Eng Chhay Eang were seen interviewing Chhay Vy who was suspected of throwing a granade at the Sam Rainsy supporters.
In the interview, Chhay Vy claimed that General Hing Bun Heang hired him to throw one grenade. General Hing has previously denied the accusation. He can not be reached for comment.
Both Ms. Saumura and Mr. Eng Chhay Eang are abroad and can not be reached for comment about the alledged lawsuit either.
According to a military court official, the court has received the alleged lawsuit but it's not clear if the military court prosecutor will send it to the Phnom Penh court. The military court prosecutor refused to comment saying that it's not his style to talk over the phone on cases.
SRP lawmaker Son Chhay told VOA he had heard about the alleged lawsuit but has not yet seen it.
News of the alleged lawsuit against the SRP members comes out on the same day the Cambodian supreme court cleared PM Hun Sen of any wrongdoing in the 97 grenade attack on the SRP supporters which killed 16 people and wounded more than one hundred others.