Opposition leader Kem Sokha of Cambodia has been sentenced to 27 years in prison in a treason case, which is seemingly intended to block his political future before the 2023 general elections. Kem Sokha is a co-founder of the dissolved National Salvation Party of Cambodia (PSNC), and has been accused of colluding with foreign entities both inside and outside of Cambodia to overthrow Prime Minister Hun Sen. This allegation has been denied by Kem Sokha himself. The verdict has been widely criticized by human rights groups, with the United States Ambassador to Cambodia, W. Patrick Murphy, describing it as a “miscarriage of justice” and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling it “politically motivated”. After the verdict, Kem Sokha was taken from the courtroom to his home and will be under house arrest. He is also prohibited from meeting anyone outside of his family members, stripped of the right to vote, and barred from political office. Kem Sokha, who is now 69, was arrested in September 2017, and has one month to appeal the verdict. His supporters outside the courtroom have described the verdict as “very unfair.”
