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Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni has officially pardoned former opposition leader Kem Sokha following his controversial treason conviction, according to a royal decree released Monday. The move comes only weeks after a Phnom Penh court rejected Kem Sokha’s appeal against his 27-year prison sentence.
Kem Sokha, 72, is a co-founder of the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), once considered the country’s strongest opposition movement. He has remained under house arrest since March 2023 after being convicted of treason for allegedly conspiring with foreign powers to overthrow former Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government.
The recent royal pardon removes the original prison sentence, but it does not erase other legal restrictions imposed on the veteran politician. Cambodian courts previously ruled that Kem Sokha would still face a ban on political activity and international travel after completing his sentence. His legal team has not publicly commented on the pardon.
The case against Kem Sokha became a major symbol of Cambodia’s crackdown on political opposition. Human rights organizations and Western governments, including the United States, criticized the conviction, describing it as politically motivated and based on unproven allegations. Washington previously stated that the charges relied on “fabricated conspiracy theories.”
Since the Cambodian Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP in 2017, many opposition figures have fled abroad. Critics argue that the pardon is an attempt by Cambodia’s government to soften international criticism while still limiting Kem Sokha’s political influence.
The Khmer Movement for Democracy, led by exiled opposition figure Mu Sochua, said the pardon merely changes the form of restriction from house arrest to political confinement.
Cambodia’s government, now led by Prime Minister Hun Manet, denies accusations of targeting political rivals and insists convicted opposition figures violated Cambodian law. Former premier Hun Sen, currently senate president, signed the royal decree while King Sihamoni undergoes treatment for prostate cancer.
