Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Breaking: Kem Sokha officially charged with ‘treason’

Breaking: Kem Sokha officially charged with ‘treason’

Opposition leader Kem Sokha is escorted by police following his midnight arrest in Phnom Penh early Sunday morning. AFP
Opposition leader Kem Sokha is escorted by police following his midnight arrest in Phnom Penh early Sunday morning. AFP

Breaking: Kem Sokha officially charged with ‘treason’

Jailed opposition leader Kem Sokha was officially charged with treason this morning, about 36 hours after he was arrested from his Phnom Penh residence in a midnight raid by more than 100 police and sent to a Tbong Khmum prison.

Phnom Penh Municipal Court spokesman Ly Sophanna said that after reviewing the case, questioning Sokha and verifying evidence, there were sufficient grounds for prosecutors to charge the opposition leader under Article 443 of the Criminal Code for “conspiring with foreign power”.

“Kem Sokha, head of Cambodia National Rescue Party, was arrested by police for committing [a] red-handed crime related to a secret plan and the activities of conspiracy between Kem Sokha and foreigners which causes chaos and affects the Kingdom of Cambodia,” an official statement from the court reads.

Sokha was arrested midnight Sunday after a 2013 video surfaced where he claims to have received United States’ assistance for planning his political career. He was questioned for more than four hours yesterday at Tbong Khmum’s Trapaeng Phlong prison by a team of three Phnom Penh prosecutors.

One of Sokha’s five lawyers, Meng Sopheary, said she had only heard that the CNRP’s president had been charged but was unaware of the exact charges, whereas another lawyer, Sam Sokong, said he had yet to be officially notified about the charges.

A government statement on Sunday said Sokha had violated Article 443 of the Criminal Code for “conspiring with foreign power”, which comes with a 15 to 30 year prison sentence. The statement also claimed that crime was a red-handed crime, despite the video being close to four years old and Sokha entitled to parliamentary immunity.

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry taking steps over Thai ‘replica’ of Angkor Wat

    The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has dispatched experts to inspect the ongoing construction of a temple in Wat Phu Man Fah, located in Thailand’s Buriram province. This temple appears to be a replica of Cambodia’s renowned Angkor Wat. The ministry said

  • Ream base allegations must end, urges official

    A senior government official urges an end to the allegations and suspicions surrounding the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, now that Prime Minister Hun Manet has addressed the issue on the floor of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78). Jean-Francois Tain, a geopolitical

  • Cambodia claims int’l titles in eight-sided arena

    Three prominent Cambodian Kun Khmer fighters – Thoeun Theara, Phal Sophorn and Roeung Sophorn – all claimed International Professional Combat Council (IPCC) world titles at the September 30 octagonal ring event at Town Arena, although popular Kun Khmer exponent Prum Samnang failed to secure a win in his

  • PM to open new Siem Reap int’l airport December 1

    Prime Minister Hun Manet and Chinese leaders would jointly participate in the official opening of the new Chinese-invested Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport on December 1. The airport symbolises a new page in the history of Cambodian aviation, which will be able to welcome long-distance flights to

  • Rapper VannDa bridges borders with beats

    Born in a bustling Cambodian market, a young dreamer named VannDa found his rhythm amid the clatter and chaos. Today, his beats resonate far beyond the shores of his homeland, streaming on platforms like Spotify and capturing the imaginations of hip-hop fans in the region

  • CP denied registration documents by ministry

    The Ministry of Interior will not reissue registration documents to the Candlelight Party (CP). Following a September 21 meeting between ministry secretary of state Bun Honn and CP representatives, the ministry cited the fact that there is no relevant law which would authorise it to do