Australian author defies Cambodian court verdict of defamation of Hun Sen

An e-mail received here on Saturday publicized a Chilean-born Australian author's defiance of a local court's verdict on Friday that he should pay 2,410 U.S. dollars as compensation for Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen for he was found guilty of defaming Hun Sen by saying that the Cambodian Prime Minister used violence to mute his critics and opponents.

"Even I had the money, I would not pay the fine, as to do so would be to recognize the mockery of justice, the corruption and lack of impartiality of the legal system that exists in that Southeast Asian country," said Julio Jeldres, famous as official biographer of former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk, in his e- mail sent from Melbourne, Australia.

"I maintain my assertion that the prime minister is a violent ruler," said Jeldres, who was also ordered by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to pay a fine of 1,928 U.S. dollars to the government, for he was quoted as saying on the April 7 edition of the Cambodian Daily that "As you know, every time Prime Minister Hun Sen makes a threat, someone gets killed or wounded by unknown gangsters."

The prime minister sued the author after the paper was published. Jeldres then stayed in Australia and was absent at the court when the verdict was passed.

Jeldres founded the non-profit Khmer Institute of Democracy in Cambodia. He used to be a leading critic of the government.

Source: Xinhua