Phnom Penh, Jul 25 (IANS): A Cambodian court on Thursday ordered opposition Candlelight Party president Teav Vannol to pay about 1.5 million US dollars for public defamation.

Vannol was sued by the Attorney Group of the Royal Government of Cambodia after he gave an interview to a foreign media outlet in February this year, accusing that Cambodia's democracy had been regressing since Prime Minister Hun Manet took office in August 2023.

The government said his allegations were untrue, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Phnom Penh Municipal Court ordered Teav Vannol to pay 6 billion riels (about 1.5 million US dollars) to the Royal Government of Cambodia, the plaintiff in this case," Presiding Judge Hok Pov pronounced the verdict.

The court also fined Vannol 10 million riels (about 2,500 dollars) to put in the state budget.

According to the verdict, the 69-year-old opposition leader was charged with "public defamation" under the Criminal Code's Article 305.

Under the kingdom's law, the convict has the right to appeal to an upper court against the guilty verdict within a month if he does not agree with it.