The Supreme Court yesterday delayed a hearing on fake treaty against former opposition leader Sam Rainsy due to the absence of the defence lawyer.

Supreme Court Judge Kong Srim yesterday decided to delay the hearing against Rainsy, the former CNRP leader, for faking a 1979 version of a border treaty with Vietnam and incitement to commit felony brought against him in 2015 for posting the allegedly fake treaty on Facebook.

“Because this case needs a lawyer and he is absent, we cannot go on. We will send another invitation to him [Rainsy’s defence lawyer Sam Sokong] and we will reserve an assigned lawyer to represent Rainsy.

“If he is still absent for the second time, the assigned lawyer will represent him,” Judge Srim said at the hearing.

Even though Rainsy was not present, the security surrounding the court was strengthened with police blocking the street in front of the courthouse.

For the offence, Rainsy was sentenced to five years in jail. His two Facebook administrators each received a two-year suspended sentence.

On August 12 and 13, Rainsy posted on his Facebook page that the treaty was to dissolve the border between Cambodia and Vietnam.

Hong Sok Hour, a senator from the CNRP, also presented the “fake” treaty on his Facebook page and was arrested. He was sentenced to seven years in jail but was released in October last year after receiving a pardon from the King.

Sokong, Rainsy’s lawyer, could not be reached for comment.