Cambodia's most prominent opposition leader Kem Sokha has been sentenced to 27 years under house arrest for treason. Sokha is the leader of the Cambodian National Rescue Party, which was recently dissolved and is barred from standing or voting in elections, BBC reported. Sokha was arrested over charges of conspiring with the US to oust Cambodia’s authoritarian leader, Hun Sen. Sen has been in power for nearly four decades.
General elections are due to be held in Cambodia in July. While some believe that Sen will hand over power to his eldest son Hun Manet, most of them expect him to run. 69-year-old Sokha was arrested on the basis of a 2013 video, in which he says that he has the support of US pro-democracy groups.
US ambassador W Patrick Murphy said the allegations, which Kem Sokha denied, were “fabricated conspiracy theories”, the Guardian reported.
Judge Koy Sao told the court in Phnom Penh on Friday: “Kem Sokha … is sentenced to 27 years in prison on the charge of collusion with foreigners committed in Cambodia and other places.”
Amnesty International described the charges as “fabricated”, adding that the Cambodian justice system had “once again shown its jaw-dropping lack of independence”.
Sokha's lawyer, Ang Udom, said his team would appeal against the verdict.
