The Asian Human Rights Commission has called on Kandal provincial court to summon a nephew of the prime minister accused of assault.
Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Noun Vuthy filed an assault case with the courts against the bodyguards of Hun To, nephew of Prime Minister Hun Sen, late last month.
The bodyguards allegedly assaulted Noun Vuthy on a ferry in Kampong Cham, ahead of the national election.
"No one can be above the law or out of the law so that when there is a law violation, the court should be brave enough to summon that person to the courtroom, through the evidence and witnesses that have seen clearly the abuse that happened," said Lao Monghay, a senior researcher for the Asian Human Rights Commission.
Noun Vuthy called on the courts to "stop working under the orders of high-ranking powerful people, under government pressure."
Ho To denied the allegations, saying he had been "quiet," and would now counter-charge Noun Vuthy.
This is not the first allegation of threat for Hun To. In 2006, he was accused of threatening an opposition journalist, You Saravuth, who later fled the country.