PHNOM PENH: The Union of Civil Society Organizations has expressed its deep dissatisfaction with the Secretary General of the Candlelight Party, Ly Sothearayuth, saying he has committed dirty, obscene, immoral and inappropriate acts as a politician, which warrant punishment.

A statement issued by the Union of Civil Society Organizations on Tuesday, 11 April 2023, calls on women's organizations and all associations across the country to join the union in condemning Ly Sothearayuth.

"The Candlelight Party may be at a dead end, no longer able to find good people to lead, and instead finding people at the bottom of society, who are lustful, hungry, and addicted to immorally looking at women," wrote the union.

The statement said that Ly Sothearayut committed three socially immoral acts, as evidenced through leaked audio recordings on social media. First, the statement says Sothearayut betrayed his own wife and had extramarital relations with many other women, mostly other people's wives. Second, he used disrespectful and socially immoral words to describe women, saying women are servants of lust. Third, he forced women to send him nude photos, lacking respect for them.

The Union of Civil Society Organizations has stated that Ly Sothearayuth does not deserve to be a Cambodian politician, as these actions contribute to a bad political culture in the country, providing a bad example to other politicians as well. The union believes Ly Sothearayuth will cause serious problems for the nation if he ever has a role in government.

The Union of Civil Society Organizations also expressed its regret for the Candlelight Party for having to accept such an immoral person as the party's Secretary General. The union highlighted the hypocrisy of how the Candlelight Party often criticizes the government in a negative way and promotes itself as a patriotic force, while meanwhile having such an immoral person as one of its leaders.