Sam Rainsy fined by French court, must pay 1 euro in damage compensation to Hor Nam Hong
28 Jan 2009
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French
The Paris tribunal sentenced the Cambodian opposition leader for public defamation against Hor Nam Hong, the minister of Foreign Affairs.
The sentence was handed down on Tuesday 27 January. Sam Rainsy was found guilty by the French court of publicly defaming Hor Nam Hong in his autobiography “Rooted in the stone,” which was published in France by Calmann-Levy in May 2008.
In this book, Sam Rainsy implied that Hor Nam Hong was a Khmer Rouge collaborator, and he caused the death of several people. Because of this, Jean-Etienne Cohen-Seat, the book editor, and Sam Rainsy must pay a 1,000-euro in fine each. They must both pay to Hor Nam Hong, the plaintiff in the legal case, a symbolic sum on 1 euro for damage compensation, as well as 4,500-euro based on the stipulation of Article 475-1 of the penal code.
In case the book is re-printed, the court also orders the removal from page 209 of the book the following sentence: “A few years later, the minister of Foreign Affairs would become a collaborator of the Khmer Rouge regime, and he was suspected of causing the death of several people, including members of the royal family.” Thus, the court is finding that Calmann-Levy, the book publisher, is responsible for this portion.
On the other hand, the Paris tribunal rejected all other complaints raised by Hor Nam Hong. The guilty party must pay the cost to publish a legal communiqué stating this sentence in two newspapers to be selected by Hor Nam Hong’s party.
The sentence was handed down on Tuesday 27 January. Sam Rainsy was found guilty by the French court of publicly defaming Hor Nam Hong in his autobiography “Rooted in the stone,” which was published in France by Calmann-Levy in May 2008.
In this book, Sam Rainsy implied that Hor Nam Hong was a Khmer Rouge collaborator, and he caused the death of several people. Because of this, Jean-Etienne Cohen-Seat, the book editor, and Sam Rainsy must pay a 1,000-euro in fine each. They must both pay to Hor Nam Hong, the plaintiff in the legal case, a symbolic sum on 1 euro for damage compensation, as well as 4,500-euro based on the stipulation of Article 475-1 of the penal code.
In case the book is re-printed, the court also orders the removal from page 209 of the book the following sentence: “A few years later, the minister of Foreign Affairs would become a collaborator of the Khmer Rouge regime, and he was suspected of causing the death of several people, including members of the royal family.” Thus, the court is finding that Calmann-Levy, the book publisher, is responsible for this portion.
On the other hand, the Paris tribunal rejected all other complaints raised by Hor Nam Hong. The guilty party must pay the cost to publish a legal communiqué stating this sentence in two newspapers to be selected by Hor Nam Hong’s party.
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