Asia

Cambodian analyst arrested on charge of defaming premier

Associated Press
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Political commentator Kim Sok, center right, is hugged by a supporter as he makes his way joined by his supporters to the municipal court in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. Sok joined by 200 supporters walked some five kilometers into the capital to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court answering to the defamation complaint filed by long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen. Hun Sen filed the lawsuit earlier this week by demanding $500,000 after the commentator blamed his government-affiliated "network" for the murder of Cambodia's most prominent political analysis, Kem Ley in July last year. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (The Associated Press)

Political commentator Kim Sok greets his supporters on his way to the municipal court in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. Sok joined by 200 supporters walked some five kilometers into the capital to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court answering to the defamation complaint filed by long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen. Hun Sen filed the lawsuit earlier this week by demanding $500,000 after the commentator blamed his government-affiliated "network" for the murder of Cambodia's most prominent political analysis, Kem Ley in July last year. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (The Associated Press)

Political commentator Kim Sok, center, talks to the press as he makes his way joined by his supporters to the municipal court in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. Sok joined by 200 supporters walked some five kilometers into the capital to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court answering to the defamation complaint filed by long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen. Hun Sen filed the lawsuit earlier this week by demanding $500,000 after the commentator blamed his government-affiliated "network" for the murder of Cambodia's most prominent political analysis, Kem Ley in July last year. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (The Associated Press)

A Cambodian political analyst has been arrested after prosecutors accepted a criminal complaint by Prime Minister Hun Sen that he had defamed him in a radio interview.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court spokesman Ly Sophana says the court on Friday accepted charges of defamation and inciting chaos against Kim Sok and put him in pretrial detention.

Kim Sok last week gave an interview to the Cambodian-language service of U.S.-funded Radio Free Asia that Hun Sen felt implied his government was behind the killing last year of another political analyst, Kem Ley. The trial for the lone gunman is set to begin next month.

Hun Sen's government in the past year has put increasing legal pressure on its critics and political opponents.