The opposition Candlelight Party’s deputy head in Takeo province has been arrested for plotting in relation to an exiled opposition leader’s attempt to return to Cambodia, a charge a defense lawyer described as politically motivated.
Kem Sokha’s legal team continued to demand that the prosecution specify which countries he had conspired with to overthrow the government, adding there was no evidence so far to support charges against the opposition leader.
Across Kandieng district in Pursat, people described living through a crackdown on flooded-forest farming and fishing that seemed inconsistent and designed to intimidate, in several cases becoming entwined with politics ahead of the June 5 commune election.
Former Free Trade Union president Chea Mony has thrown his support behind the Candlelight Party and wants the union movement to reengage with politics.
For an estimated half a million young people who were not yet of voting age in 2018, June 5 will be their first chance to cast ballots. Some first-timers and other potential young voters say they want improvements in local governance.
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