On August 30th, a Cambodian court extended for six months the pre-trial detention of Kem Sokha, President of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) and member of the Nonviolent Radical Party Transnational Transparty (NRPTT) like Sam Rainsy and the entire parliamentary opposition of the south-east asian country. The CNRP was outlawed on November 16, 2017 with a politically motivated ruling by the Cambodian Supreme Court.
Kem Sokha was arrested on 3 September 2017 on charges of treason and collusion with foreign powers aimed at overthrowing the government of former khmer rouge member Hun Sen, who has been in power for 33 years uninterruptedly. In late July and early August, I had the honor to lead a mission of the NRPTT to Cambodia which further proved how the arrest of Kem Sokha is part of a broader repressive plan that culminated with the sham elections of July 29th which resulted in a one-party dictatorship, further alienating Cambodia and the region of south-east Asia from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.
Therefore, the Global Committee forthe Rule of Law “Marco Pannella” invites you to sign and share this appeal addressed to Cambodian authorities demanding that Kem Sokha’s unjust pre-trial detention be terminated immediately.
Thank you.
Matteo Angioli