A Cambodian court sentenced former opposition leader Kem Sokha to 27 years of house arrest on Friday. This is reported by international news agencies. Sokha was already arrested in 2017. He was suspected of collaborating with the United States to overthrow Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has been in office for 38 years. The case was picked up again in 2022, after it had been silent for a long time due to the pandemic. In four months there will be elections in the South Asian country.
Shortly after Sokha’s arrest in 2017, his National Salvation Party (CNPR) was dissolved, allowing Hun Sen to easily win the next year’s election. According to human rights groups, the conviction “shows once again how little independence the Cambodian courts are,” according to international news agencies. Amnesty International called the conviction “an unmistakable warning to opposition groups ahead of national elections”. Hun Sen’s political opponents are often silenced.
Hun Sen has been in power since 1985 with his Cambodian People’s Party. He has said he wants to remain prime minister until 2028 and then pass the baton to one of his sons. Sokha, who is not allowed to vote and is only allowed to leave his house with the permission of the court, will appeal, according to his lawyer.
Also read this piece about the elections in 2018: ‘Cambodian elections are now very implausible’