Breaking: Supreme Court rules to dissolve CNRP

CNRP leader Kem Sokha and senior party officials campaign during the June 2017 commune elections. Heng Chivoan

The Supreme Court this evening ruled to dissolve the Cambodia National Rescue Party, ending the only existing electoral threat to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s grip on power in the Kingdom.

The historic ruling will see the opposition party disbanded and also bans 118 of the party’s senior officials from politics for five years - including party president Kem Sokha and exiled former leader Sam Rainsy.

The dissolution comes after a sustained campaign mounted by the government and led by Prime Minister Hun Sen claiming that the CNRP had engaged in a "colour revolution", with the assistance of the United States.

Under new amendments to election laws, the CNRP will lose all 489 of its commune chiefs and all 55 of its seats in the National Assembly.

"The Supreme Court decided to recognise the Interior Ministry's lawsuit and decided to dissolve the CNRP and ban their 118 senior [officials] from joining politics for five years starting from the day of the verdict," said presiding Judge Dith Munty at 5pm.

Updates to follow.

MOST VIEWED

12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star
Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an
Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter
Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was
Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition
Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He
Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia
A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication
Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills
A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,
New Law on Taxation comes into effect
Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom