After questions were raised last week about a politicized audio leak, the presiding judge of opposition leader Kem Sokha’s treason trial warned reporters they could be blacklisted if they secretly recorded court proceedings.
Opposition leader Kem Sokha’s treason trial is getting closer to a conclusion, the presiding judge said on Wednesday a week after Sokha distanced himself from his firebrand CNRP co-founder Sam Rainsy.
Kem Sokha clearly announced in a Phnom Penh court on Wednesday that he had no connection with CNRP co-founder Sam Rainsy anymore, marking the most clear fissure between the two opposition figures.
On-trial opposition leader Kem Sokha on Wednesday morning questioned his treason trial’s turn to associating him with his CNRP co-founder Sam Rainsy.
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.
Standing in the municipal court dock on Wednesday, Kem Sokha said he would never run away from the people no matter what difficulties he faced — an apparent dig at his CNRP co-founder Sam Rainsy, who lives in exile in France.
The ruling CPP has filed complaints against four Candlelight commune chief candidates in Pailin for using a slogan calling for the removal of “the commune chief serving the party.”
Two ambiguously worded letters from CPP Phnom Penh members calling for polling station staffers to attend training have sparked concern from opposition parties saying the letters appeared to be inviting NEC officials to receive ruling party guidance.
Prosecutors and government plaintiff lawyers declined to specify a country, organization or individual behind opposition leader Kem Sokha’s alleged “conspiracy with a foreign power” during his trial hearing on Wednesday.
Election campaigning will kick off on Saturday for the two weeks ahead of the June 5 vote, during which parties will be allowed two rallies per contesting commune as long as they stay within boundaries and give three days’ notice.
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