Cambodia court upholds Kem Sokha conviction

Cambodia’s Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction of opposition leader Kem Sokha, extending his house arrest and 27‑year sentence while imposing a further five‑year ban on international travel. The ruling, delivered on 30 April, has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups who say it cements the government’s use of the courts to silence dissent.

Sokha, 72, is the former president of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). Arrested in 2017 on charges of treason and “colluding with foreigners”, he has spent years in detention or under house arrest. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention previously declared his imprisonment “politically motivated” and called for his release.

Human Rights Watch described the latest ruling as “bogus prosecution”, warning that upcoming elections in 2027 and 2028 will lack legitimacy if opposition voices remain excluded. “The Cambodian government should drop this case, release Kem Sokha, and restore his political rights,” said Bryony Lau, the organisation’s deputy Asia director.

Sokha’s trial has been repeatedly delayed, with hearings suspended for long periods without explanation. His conviction in 2023 barred him from contacting anyone outside his family without permission, further restricting his political activity.

The crackdown on Sokha coincided with the Supreme Court’s dissolution of the CNRP in 2017, a move that left Cambodia effectively a one‑party state. Subsequent elections saw the ruling Cambodian People’s Party win all 125 seats in parliament. Since then, authorities have pursued mass trials against opposition figures and activists, while elections in 2022 and 2023 were marred by irregularities and bans on rival parties.

Hun Sen, who ruled for nearly four decades, handed the premiership to his son Hun Manet after the 2023 national vote, but retained influence as Senate president. Under their leadership, rights groups say political space has narrowed further, with civil society under constant pressure.

International observers argue that the appeal court’s decision highlights the entrenched impunity of Cambodia’s judiciary. “Governments that have urged Sokha’s release for nearly a decade need to step up their response after this outrageous ruling,” Lau said, urging donor nations to withhold support for future elections unless political freedoms are restored.

For Sokha, the ruling means continued isolation and exclusion from public life. For Cambodia, it signals that the government remains unwilling to tolerate meaningful opposition, raising fresh doubts about the credibility of its democratic process.

-2026-05-01