A bail hearing for Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Hong Sok Hour ended in familiar fashion yesterday, with Appeal Court judge Plang Samnang denying the request.

Sok Hour, who was arrested in August, and has previously had both a bail request and a motion to dismiss charges rejected, was not present yesterday.

But his attorney, Choung Choungy, said that his client had offered a bail of 20 million riel (about $5,000), guaranteed to abide by all court requests and promised not to cause any social problems.

But prosecutor Nget Sarat said the lawmaker presented no compelling evidence to grant his request.

After the two-hour hearing, the judge denied bail, saying a written reasoning would be released later. According to Choungy, Sok Hour may file a complaint over the denial.

“It is not fair to Hong Sok Hour. He is an old man and a senator,” Choungy told journalists outside the courtroom.

Ho Vann, a CNRP lawmaker who watched the trial, yesterday said the court should have granted bail. “He has an adequate amount of money, land and a clear address and guaranteed to obey the court’s procedures,” he said of Sok Hour.

Sok Hour faces charges of forging a public document, using a forged public document and incitement to cause serious unrest, after he posted a “fake” section of a 1979 Cambodia-Vietnam border treaty.