Prime Minister Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian People’s Party continued to maintain a tight grip on power this year and showed little inclination easing pressure on political opponents and dissidents.
After three years of trial hearings — and five years since Kem Sokha was arrested — closing arguments in the opposition leader’s protracted treason trial were squeezed into one day of hearings.
Closing arguments commenced in the Kem Sokha treason trial on Wednesday, with government lawyers indicating that they will file a civil suit for damages against the opposition leader at the end of the criminal case.
The Supreme Court on Friday upheld convictions against four human rights officials and an election body staffer — who previously worked at the same rights group — in a case related to a love scandal involving opposition leader Kem Sokha.
Though a five-year political ban is set to end on Wednesday, former opposition officials will likely have little opportunity to make a difference in the upcoming election, the politicians as well as analysts say.
Judges in the Kem Sokha treason trial have agreed to a two-month break before finally heading into closing arguments in the already-prolonged trial against the former CNRP president.
The Kem Sokha treason trial is barrelling toward a verdict as judges announced an end to witness cross examinations and scheduled closing arguments, much to the consternation of the defense team.
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court is holding back-to-back sessions of the Kem Sokha trial this week to get through witness cross examinations, a level of urgency not seen in the so-far sluggish trial.
A Phnom Penh court questioned one witness in the Kem Sokha treason trial on Wednesday, mostly focusing on any foreign assistance or direction on political decisions made by the former CNRP president.
CCHR’s Chak Sopheap will attend a hearing at Kem Sokha’s trial this week. Sixteen Vietnamese nationals arrested from a suspected Siem Reap compound were sent to court.
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