A Cambodian appeals court has rejected a bid by detained opposition figure Kem Sokha to overturn his treason conviction, reinforcing a 27-year sentence that rights groups say is politically motivated.
The 72-year-old politician, co-founder of the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was convicted in 2023 for allegedly attempting to overthrow the government of former Prime Minister Hun Sen. Although sentenced to prison, he has been serving the term under house arrest in Phnom Penh.
Delivering its ruling on Thursday, the Phnom Penh Appeals Court upheld the earlier judgment, according to Sokha’s lawyer, Pheng Heng. The court also imposed an additional five-year international travel ban on the opposition leader.
The defence had sought to have the charges dismissed, arguing for a political resolution to the case. However, the lawyer expressed disappointment at the outcome, stating that the ruling undermines prospects for national reconciliation.
Kem Sokha has consistently denied the allegations since his arrest in 2017, maintaining that the charges are baseless.
The case has drawn widespread international criticism. United Nations rights experts previously described the trial as “politically motivated” and accused authorities of misusing legal frameworks to suppress dissent.
Human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch, have called for Sokha’s immediate release and the restoration of his political rights, warning that the continued prosecution of opposition figures could undermine the credibility of future elections.
Critics argue that the legal action against Sokha is part of a broader pattern of targeting political opponents in Cambodia, particularly following gains made by the opposition against the long-dominant Cambodian People’s Party.
Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia for nearly four decades before handing power to his son Hun Manet in 2023, has faced longstanding accusations of curbing political opposition through the judiciary.
Observers say the latest ruling is likely to deepen concerns about political freedoms and democratic processes in the Southeast Asian nation.
