Jailed Australian filmmaker James Ricketson has sent a letter to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen apologising for "any disrespectful comments"he had made regarding his leadership and his government.
The letter was published by The Khmer Times, which said it was forwarded to them by Ricketson's son Jesse.
"I now realise that my statements I have made in the press and other media are disruptive and ill-informed. These statements were made from a place of foreign naivety and ignorance about the complexities and difficulties of governing Cambodia," Ricketson wrote.
"I sincerely regret having made any disrespectful comments and I unreservedly apologise in this regards to yourself and your government."
Ricketson, 69, has spent more than a year behind bars while investigators comb through his computer systems, examining some 15,000 emails, after he was linked to the banned opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP).
In court last month he said he had been told he would face charges of espionage under Article 446 of the Cambodian penal code but he had not yet been served with a proper indictment.
"I can see much more clearly now how much good your government brings to the country and the stability it affords to Cambodians," Ricketson said in the letter. He also described himself as an "uninformed foreigner".
"I apologise unreservedly and without condition for any distress I may have caused as a result of my ignorance of Cambodian issues. If there is anything I can do to remedy my mistake, please let me know as I only want the best for you and Cambodia.
"I thank you in advance for your indulgence and understanding of an uninformed foreigner."
Ricketson's case has been marked by repeated delays over bail hearings and investigations by prosecutors. He has denied any wrongdoing and told the court that prosecutors have failed to present any evidence of espionage.
His health has deteriorated. Complaints include scabies, a persistent chest infection, loss of energy and dizzy spells. In early May he was transferred from a squalid, cramped cell to a prison infirmary.
A petition calling for his release has generated more than 76,000 signatures.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has also intervened and written a letter to the Cambodian government on Ricketson's behalf.
