The Supreme Court on Monday upheld an arrest warrant for Heang Kimsroeun, vice-president of the Khmer United Great Nation Party (KUGNP), and his accomplice on charges of incitement and insulting the Supreme Council for Consultations and Recommendations.

KUGNP youth group leader Thol Sophanna is named as Kimsroeun’s accomplice in the warrant, which was originally issued by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on April 20. The men appealed the warrant, but it was denied. The Supreme Court held a hearing on the matter on October 19.

Kimsroeun’s lawyer Choung Chou Ngy told The Post on Monday the Supreme Court upheld the warrant on the grounds that Kimsroeun had no legal documents, such as an identity card or a family book, as proof that he had a specific residence.

“It means that the arrest warrant is still valid,” he said.

At the hearing, he told the judge that the case arose after Pich Sros – the Cambodia Youth Party (CYP) president and also a member of the Supreme Council – sued his client for insulting the council. The plaintiff wrote in his complaint that Kimsroeun resided in Tuol Sangke commune, in Phnom Penh’s Russey Keo district.

The municipal court issued a summons to his client at the same address listed in the complaint. However, Tuol Sangke commune police confirmed that Kimsroeun was not named in his registry. He actually lives in Sen Sok district’s Teuk Thla commune.

“The summons was sent to the wrong address, leading the court to issue an arrest warrant for my client,” Chou Ngy told the court.

Sros, however, said on Monday the Supreme Court’s decision is fair. He said Kimsroeun and Sophanna posted a message on social media saying the Supreme Council was a puppet institution.

“I sued him for insulting the council members, which affected its dignity. He has the character of inciting people to lose faith in the council.

“We cannot accept this. We consider it an insult to the King too because the council’s work is based on a royal decree signed by the King,” he said.

The Facebook post in question, which was posted on October 10 last year, allegedly insulted the council in relation to the council’s invitation for National Authority for Border Affairs chairman Var Kimhong to clarify the Cambodia-Vietnam border issue.