PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A leading Cambodian opposition figure was freed from house arrest Monday after receiving a royal pardon that overturned his 27-year treason conviction, just one month following an appeals court’s decision to uphold both his guilty verdict and sentence.
The Senate president, Hun Sen, acting in place of King Norodom Sihamoni while the monarch receives medical care in China during an extended visit, granted the pardon that released Kem Sokha from his confinement.
In a post shared on Telegram, Prime Minister Hun Manet characterized the pardoning decision as a measure to promote national unity. Kem Sokha has not yet made any public statements regarding his release.
Political analysts suggest this development will have minimal impact on Cambodia’s political landscape, given that other prominent opposition leaders remain in exile while activists continue facing limitations on their freedom of expression and activities.
The opposition leader’s conviction came in 2023 after spending an extended period in pretrial custody. Authorities alleged he plotted with the United States to overthrow Cambodia’s ruling government. Prosecutors relied heavily on video footage showing him receiving political guidance from American pro-democracy organizations.
Kem Sokha has maintained his innocence throughout the legal proceedings, telling the appeals court last month that he had never conspired with any foreign country to cost the lives of Cambodian citizens or the loss of national territory.
His 2017 detention triggered a widespread government campaign targeting independent journalists and political adversaries, particularly affecting Kem Sokha’s well-supported Cambodia National Rescue Party.
Following his arrest in 2017, the Supreme Court disbanded the political party. This action enabled Hun Sen’s governing Cambodian People’s Party to claim every parliamentary position in the 2018 electoral contest.
When Kem Sokha faced arrest and conviction, Hun Sen held the prime minister’s office. In 2023, Hun Sen transitioned to Senate president while his son, Hun Manet, assumed the role of prime minister.
Throughout his 38-year tenure leading Cambodia, Hun Sen faced persistent allegations of weaponizing the court system against critics and political rivals. Despite government claims of upholding legal principles within a democratic electoral framework, the judiciary has repeatedly dismantled opposition parties viewed as threats and imprisoned or intimidated their leadership.
Critics maintain that conditions have shown little improvement under Hun Manet’s leadership.
At the end of April, the Phnom Penh Appeals Court upheld Kem Sokha’s 27-year punishment after a significantly delayed appeals hearing. The court imposed an additional restriction preventing him from international travel for five years beyond his sentence completion. The current status of this travel ban remains uncertain.
Earlier Monday, before the pardon announcement, Kem Sokha had received court approval to visit his sick 101-year-old mother.
While he avoided media interviews, his attorney shared social media footage showing him embracing his mother and expressing that if freed, he would join the Buddhist monkhood in her honor. He also stated he would not pursue retribution against those responsible for his imprisonment.
