US EditionCambodian court upholds opposition leader’s treason conviction
The court added a five-year travel ban after rejecting his appeal, as rights groups called the treason case politically motivated.
- On Thursday, April 30, 2026, the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal upheld the treason conviction and 27-year sentence for Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha, adding a five-year international travel ban.
- Authorities arrested Sokha in 2017, accusing the former Cambodia National Rescue Party leader of conspiring with foreign powers to topple the government; he was convicted in 2023 and has remained under house arrest.
- Defense lawyer Pheng Heng told reporters, "We regret this decision," stating it contradicts hopes for national reconciliation, while Britain and Germany expressed disappointment over the ruling.
- Rights advocates claim the prosecution aims to bar Sokha and his movement from politics, fitting into the Cambodian People's Party's long-running crackdown on opponents across the region.
- Human Rights Watch urged authorities to drop the prosecution, warning that future elections under Prime Minister Hun Manet lack legitimacy while the government uses courts to punish political rivals.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Cambodia: Opposition Leader’s Appeal Denied
Click to expand Image Cambodia’s opposition leader Kem Sokha talks to the media at his home before leaving for a court hearing in Phnom Penh, January 16, 2020. © 2020 AP Photo/Heng Sinith (Bangkok) – On April 30, 2026, the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal upheld the politically motivated conviction of the Cambodian political opposition leader Kem Sokha, Human Rights Watch said today. The court extended Sokha’s de-facto house arrest and 27-year sentenc…
Malay Mail
AlKhaleej TodayCambodia rejects dissident Kem Sokha’s appeal against 27-year treason sentence
PHNOM PENH, April 30 — A Cambodian court rejected an appeal on Thursday by detained opposition leader Kem Sokha against his nearly three-decade sentence for treason, his lawyer said, a conviction rights groups say is politically motivated.The 72-year-old politician was convicted for trying to topple the government of long-ruling former prime minister Hun Sen, who is the father of the current leader and remains an influential figure in national p…
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