Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday agreed to postpone a meeting with the opposition party's information department chief, Meach Sovannara, who missed a scheduled meeting in which he was to answer questions regarding his alleged role in a violent protest in July, his lawyer said.

Chan Chen, Sovannara’s attorney, said that investigating judge Keo Mony had delayed the appearance of his client, who is on a mission abroad.

“Whenever he finishes his mission and can return to the country, I will bring him to answer questions before the investigating judge,” Chen said.

Mony declined to comment.

Speaking by phone from Thailand yesterday, Sovannara said that he would abide by the arrangement.

The charges against Sovannara were widely criticised as being politically motivated. Sovannara said yesterday that he had nothing to fear from the court, given that the political deadlock that saw the opposition boycott parliament for a year had been resolved.