Kem Sokha, one of the country’s most prominent opposition leaders facing long-running legal battles, was briefly allowed out of house arrest Thursday to attend funerals for soldiers killed in recent border clashes with Thailand, his lawyer said.
Sokha, first arrested in 2017 and convicted in 2023 for treason, is serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest. He is banned from politics, voting or meeting non-family members without court approval – a case rights groups call politically motivated and emblematic of Cambodia’s judicial overreach.
Pheng Heng, Sokha’s lawyer, said the court granted permission for him to travel to funerals in Kampong Cham and Tboung Khmum provinces, where he was accompanied by police and a court prosecutor.
“Cambodians have already endured many wars of invasion throughout our history. It is unreasonable to allow Thailand to invade our land again. I call on all Cambodians to stand united, strengthen our nation and to protect our sacred homeland for the sake of future generations,” Sokha told reporters at a funeral.
He also requested permission to attend funerals in Kandal and Takeo provinces on Friday, which the court approved, Heng said.
One condition of the court’s approval, he added, is that Sokha must not discuss politics during the visits.
