News

Some United Nations member states called on the Cambodian government to restore civic and political space and the right to freedom of expression, with Cambodian officials responding that civilians are allowed to exercise their right to “public opinion with no limitations”. ...

 The Court of Appeal will hear former opposition leader Kem Sokha’s appeal against his treason conviction this January 30, as civil societies call on the new government to restore the political situation and human rights in the country. ...

 Ex-opposition leader Kem Sokha plans to submit an appeal this week against his treason conviction and the Phnom Penh Municipal Court 27 year home confinement sentence, according to his lawyers. ...

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court has granted permission for Kem Sokha, former president of the long-defunct Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), to meet with his defence lawyer on March 28. The meeting is set to take place at his residence in Phnom Penh’s Tuol Kork ...

The European Parliament called on Cambodian authorities to release former opposition leader Kem Sokha and reinstate the court-dissolved CNRP for participation in the 2023 elections in a resolution on Thursday. ...

Former opposition leader Kem Sokha’s lawyers said in a Tuesday statement that they were denied access to their client in violation of his rights, preventing them from discussing a planned appeal against his treason conviction. ...

Following a marathon treason trial that first commenced in January 2020, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on March 3 sentenced former opposition leader Kem Sokha to 27 years in prison – in a much-anticipated verdict that has drawn a barrage of mixed reactions from national ...

A Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge on Wednesday rejected the prosecution’s request that former Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) president Kem Sokha be rearrested for allegedly violating his bail conditions. ...

The Court of Appeal on Thursday heard the case of the “Adhoc 5”, five current and former staffers of the rights group who in September 2018 were found guilty of bribing a mistress of former opposition leader Kem Sokha.​ ...

Senior Cambodian officials said on Thursday that the US can monitor Kem Sokha’s trial as it wishes but would not be allowed to interfere in court procedures. The point was made in response to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s comments on Wednesday at a ...

Interior Minister Sar Kheng said on Thursday that the reinstatement of opposition leader Kem Sokha’s political rights, which would open the door for his possible return to the political stage, was purely dependent on legal proceedings as his court case is ongoing. ...

The government has lashed out at a European Parliament resolution passed last week that calls for former opposition leader Kem Sokha’s treason charges to be dropped and human rights to be restored, arguing the resolution was biased. ...

Interior Minister Sar Kheng on Sunday revealed the story behind the transfer of former opposition party leader Kem Sokha from Trapaing Phlong prison in Tbong Khmum province to his house in the capital. Speaking at the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) headquarters in Prey Veng ...

Ney Sam Ol, Cambodian Ambassador to the United Nations, expressed disappointment on Tuesday in Geneva over a call made by the newly-appointed UNHCR head to release all political prisoners in the country. ...

The United States urged Cambodia’s government on Tuesday to drop all charges against opposition leader Kem Sokha, who was released on bail but has been placed under house arrest. Kem Sokha was released from prison on Monday after spending more than a year in jail on ...

Former president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) Kem Sokha was released from prison on Monday on court-supervised bail due to unspecified health conditions, with one of his lawyers saying the conditions set were so strict they amounted to house arrest. ...

Opposition leader Kem Sokha was released on bail this morning after more than a year in pre-trial detention at Trapiang Thlong prison, also known as Correctional Centre 3 (CC3). He was held on treason charges. One of his lawyers Chan Chen confirmed the release and ...

The European Parliament is set to hold urgent debates on selected human rights, democracy and rule of law topics on Thursday in Strasbourg, France, a briefing released by the body said last week. Discussion on Cambodia will centre on the imprisonment of court-dissolved Cambodia National ...

At a press conference on Wednesday, the US State Department announced that it would expand visa sanctions on the Cambodian officials and individuals it deems responsible for “undermining democracy” in Cambodia. At the briefing, spokesperson Heather Nauert reiterated that the department regarded the July 29 ...

The European Commission (EC) has reiterated the European Union’s (EU) demand for the immediate release of opposition leader Kem Sokha and called on Cambodia to take the necessary measures to ensure that the court-dissolution of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) be swiftly reversed. ...

Former Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha is to remain in jail while awaiting his trial after the Appeal Court on Tuesday (Mar 27) upheld the decision of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to extend his pre-trial detention by an additional six months. ...

The United States Senate has passed a $1.3 trillion spending bill that looks to cut funding for Cambodia unless it releases all political prisoners and reinstates the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party. The passage of the omnibus bill on Friday, which averts a US government ...

Prime Minister Hun Sen issued a scathing critique of his political opposition on Wednesday, conflating them with fiery protesters in Australia and doubling down on his vow to keep politically sensitive prisoners behind bars. ...

UN special Rapporteur Rhona Smith’s request to meet with jailed opposition leader Kem Sokha in a Tbong Khmum prison was rejected by an investigating judge who cited “important tasks” that needed to be completed before outsiders were allowed such access. ...