“I came here to express my government’s appreciation — positive appreciation — for the good cooperation we have in dealing with this issue, and we expect that [to continue] in the future,” Cambodian Ambassador to Indonesia Hor Nambora told reporters on Friday after his meeting with Foreign Ministry’s director general for protocol and consular affairs Andri Hadi.

Unannounced and with a personal security guard in tow, Nambora barged in on a press conference on Wednesday held by Mu Sochua, vice president of the outlawed Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), to detail her party leadership’s plan to return to Cambodia.

He insisted that the press conference was illegal and Sochua had violated her tourist visa, with which she was not allowed to speak to the media.

Sochua left to Malaysia later that day but was immediately arrested by Malaysian authorities upon her arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Thursday. She was released later that evening.

Under the instruction of Prime Minister Hun Sen, Cambodian authorities have issued arrest warrants for CNRP founder Sam Rainsy and other dissidents making their way home through neighboring countries, which prompted activists and lawmakers in Southeast Asia to call for ASEAN governments to resist pressure from Phnom Penh.

Nambora declined to elaborate when asked about what kind of arrangement would allow Cambodia to issue arrest warrants to its neighboring countries. He said the warrants were justified under ASEAN Charter, specifically on the noninterference principle while dismissing the principle to respect human rights and democracy.

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