Cambodia’s former opposition leader, Kem Sokha, has been granted a royal pardon after serving part of a 27-year sentence for treason, according to the country’s acting head of state, Hun Sen.
Hun Sen announced that he had signed a decree on behalf of King Norodom Sihamoni pardoning Sokha, sharing an image of the royal document on Facebook.
Sokha, the former leader of the now-dissolved Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), was first arrested in 2017 after authorities accused him of conspiring with foreign groups to overthrow the government.
The charges stemmed from a video in which Sokha said he had received support from pro-democracy organisations in the United States.
He was later convicted of treason in 2023 and placed under house arrest, a move widely criticised by international human rights organisations and opposition groups, who described the case as politically motivated.
Although the pardon clears Sokha’s prison sentence, restrictions remain in place, including a ban preventing him from leaving Cambodia for five years.
The development comes just weeks after an appeal challenging his sentence was rejected by Cambodian courts.
Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia for nearly four decades before stepping down as prime minister in 2023, handed power to his son, Hun Manet. Despite leaving office, Hun Sen continues to wield significant political influence and is currently serving as acting head of state while King Norodom Sihamoni undergoes medical treatment abroad.
Sokha’s CNRP emerged as a major political force after nearly defeating Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party in the 2013 general election.
However, the opposition party was later dissolved ahead of the 2018 elections, following Sokha’s arrest less than a year before the polls.