Cambodian opposition leader arrested

PHNOM PENH: Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha ( pix) was arrested in a police raid on his home early yesterday and veteran Prime Minister Hun Sen accused him of treason with the backing of the United States.

The arrest marks an escalation in a campaign against critics, independent media and any potential threats to Hun Sen’s hold on power ahead of an election next year at which Kem Sokha has been expected to be his main challenger.

“It’s an act of treason with conspiracy with a foreign country, betraying his own nation. This requires arrest,” Hun Sen told a group of garment workers according to the progovernment Fresh News website.

Hun Sen said of the alleged foreign third party: “It’s the United States.”

Hun Sen, 65, has ruled the Southeast Asian country for more than three decades.

The former Khmer Rouge cadre has become one of China’s closest regional allies and has been making increasingly strident verbal attacks on the US.

Kem Sokha, 64, has led the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party since his predecessor resigned in February, saying he feared a government plan to shut it down.

The government said in a statement that it had a video clip and other evidence pointing to a secret plan with foreigners to harm Cambodia which amounted to treason.

The Cambodia National Rescue Party said Kem Sokha’s arrest was politically motivated and violated the law because his position as an elected lawmaker gave him immunity from prosecution.

The party called for Kem Sokha’s immediate release and urged the international community to “intervene for the release of Kem Sokha” and to stop official intimidation of party leaders.

It said it is committed to a non-violent approach.

Kem Sokha’s daughter, Monovithya Kem, who is also an official in the party, said on Twitter that her father had been taken away handcuffed after a raid by between 100 and 200 police, who had arrived without an arrest warrant. She said his whereabouts was unknown.

Neither the US State Department nor the White House responded immediately to a request for comment. – Reuters