Cambodian opposition leader receives royal pardon for 27-year treason sentence

Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha was granted a royal pardon on Monday, ending his 27-year prison sentence for treason after an appeals court upheld his conviction in April. The pardon was issued by Hun Sen, who serves as Senate president and acting head of state during King Norodom Sihamoni’s extended medical stay in China. Sokha, who has been under house arrest, was freed but remains subject to a five-year ban on political participation and international travel after his sentence expires. Prime Minister Hun Manet called the pardon a move to strengthen national unity, though Sokha’s lawyers confirmed the restrictions persist. Sokha made no immediate public statement, but his legal team said the pardon did not alter the political or travel bans. The decision follows years of pretrial detention and a 2023 conviction for allegedly conspiring with the U.S. to overthrow the government, charges he has consistently denied. The primary evidence against Sokha was a video of him discussing political advice from U.S.-based pro-democracy groups. He told the appeals court in April that he had never conspired with foreign actors to harm Cambodia. His arrest in 2017 marked the beginning of a broader crackdown on opposition figures, including the dissolution of his Cambodia National Rescue Party, which allowed Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party to win all parliamentary seats in the 2018 elections. Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia for 38 years, has faced criticism for using the judicial system to target political opponents. While his son, Hun Manet, succeeded him as prime minister in 2023, critics argue that restrictions on opposition figures and activists remain in place. Human Rights Watch called the pardon a partial reversal of injustice but noted that other opposition politicians and parties continue to face arbitrary arrest and baseless restrictions. Sokha visited his 101-year-old mother earlier Monday before the pardon was announced. His lawyer shared a video of him saying he would enter the Buddhist monkhood if freed and vowed not to seek revenge against those responsible for his imprisonment. The pardon is unlikely to significantly alter Cambodia’s political climate, where dissent and freedom of speech remain limited.