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Cambodian Dissidents Sentenced as Crackdown Continues

Sun Narin

   PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - In a move that signals a significant escalation
   in the Cambodian government's crackdown on the outlawed opposition
   party and dissent, a court has sentenced seven of its former officials
   for "plotting" in a case linked to their support of the unsuccessful
   return of self-exiled opposition figure Sam Rainsy in November 2019.

   The Tbong Khmum Provincial Court sentenced five former Cambodia
   National Rescue Party (CNRP) officials to seven years in prison on
   Tuesday. Two of the dissidents were sentenced to five years. Family
   members of the defendants and the media were banned from the court
   proceedings, said Am Sam Ath, deputy director of [1]Licadho, a local
   rights group.

   All were convicted under [2]Article 453 of the Cambodian Criminal Code,
   which defines conspiracy as "any scheme set up between several persons
   to commit a criminal attempt" and "materialized by one or several
   concrete actions." It carries a punishment of five to 10 years
   imprisonment.

   All had posted comments on Facebook between 2018 and 2019 supporting
   Sam Rainsy's return from self-imposed exile in France.

   Sam Sokong, the defense lawyer, said, "Among the seven convicted
   people, there is only one in jail and others have fled and hid. '¦
   There is no evidence that they are involved in plotting."

   Campaign by Hun Sen government

   The convictions were the latest move in a long-running campaign against
   dissent by the government of [3]Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has held
   power in Cambodia in various coalitions since 1985.

   But when the CNRP had a better-than-expected performance at the
   [4]local elections in June 2017, the government arrested party
   president Kem Sokha in September, then dissolved the party before the
   year ended, stripping more than 5,000 CNRP officials of their elected
   positions.

References

   1. https://www.licadho-cambodia.org/
   2. https://sherloc.unodc.org/cld/legislation/khm/criminal_code_of_the_kingdom_of_cambodia/book_4_-_title_1/article_453-455/article_453-455.html?lng=en
   3. https://projects.voanews.com/cambodia-election-2018/english/biography/
   4. https://projects.voanews.com/cambodia-election-2018/

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