Cambodia’s strongman, Hun Sen, pardoned the country’s most prominent opposition politician, Kem Sokha, on Monday, in a move that might be intended to ease the kingdom’s strained relationship with the West and strengthen the legitimacy of his son’s government.
The statement on Mr. Kem Sokha’s release from house arrest was first announced by Mr. Hun Sen and then by his son, Prime Minister Hun Manet, on Monday. Mr. Kem Sokha’s lawyer confirmed it but added that his client remained barred from politics and would not be allowed to leave the country.
The surprise release of one of Cambodia’s highest-profile political prisoners stunned many in the country. It came a month after an appeals court upheld his conviction on a charge of treason, which carried a sentence of 27 years of house arrest.
“This is the beginning,” said Pheng Heng, Mr. Kem Sokha’s lawyer. He added that Mr. Hun Sen and Mr. Kem Sokha had spoken with each other before the pardon was granted and that there would be further political discussions on restoring Mr. Kem Sokha’s full freedom.
Mr. Pheng Heng said Mr. Kem Sokha, 72, was busy taking care of his mother, who was critically ill, and that he would continue the talks when he was free.
“I have never heard him say that he would stop engaging in politics,” he added.
In a letter that Mr. Pheng posted on Monday on social media, Mr. Kem Sokha wrote that solving the country’s political problems “must depend on national reconciliation and solidarity through dialogue among Cambodians.”
Mr. Kem Sokha is a founder of the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party, known as the C.N.R.P. He has long been a thorn in Mr. Hun Sen’s side because the C.N.R.P. once posed the most serious threat to his Cambodian People’s Party. The other C.N.R.P. founder, Sam Rainsy, has been in self-imposed exile since 2015 to avoid arrest.
The C.N.R.P. was later dissolved, clearing the way for Mr. Hun Sen’s party to win a 2018 election. In 2023, Mr. Kem Sokha was sentenced and barred from running or voting in elections.
He was arrested in September 2017 on a charge of colluding with the United States government to take power in Cambodia. That charge was based on a statement he had made in a video about receiving advice from American pro-democracy groups. He has denied the accusation, and Washington has said that “claims of U.S. involvement in schemes against Cambodia’s government are patently false and irresponsible.”
In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Hun Manet wrote that he had requested the pardon, seeing it as “a further step in strengthening national unity and solidarity.”
Mr. Kem Sokha’s release comes as Cambodia is trying to recalibrate its relationship with the West as it seeks a hedge against China, which is its closest ally. The Southeast Asian country has come under immense international pressure to crack down on the scam compounds that have proliferated throughout the country.
Human rights abuses remain a sticking point with countries like the United States. Last month, Washington said it was “troubled” by an appeals court’s decision to uphold Mr. Kem Sokha’s conviction.
Seng Vanly, a political commentator, said in a Facebook post that the release “is not truly a sign of opening democratic space.” He added, “Rather, it is a highly calculated and sophisticated political strategy by the ruling party.”
Mr. Seng Vanly wrote that the pardon was being used to “reshape Hun Manet’s image before the international community, portraying his government as more moderate, open, and conciliatory than the leadership style of Hun Sen.”
Human Rights Watch noted that Cambodia’s remaining opposition politicians and parties were still under constant threat of arbitrary arrest.
“Hun Sen’s decision to pardon Kem Sokha after more than eight years in arbitrary detention partially reverses a grievous injustice,” wrote Elaine Pearson, the Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “But it is deplorable that Sokha remains barred from participating in politics or leaving the country.”
Sui-Lee Wee is the Southeast Asia bureau chief for The Times, overseeing coverage of 11 countries in the region.
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