The King has granted Kem Sokha a pardon concerning the penalty prohibiting him from leaving his home country for five years. According to the royal decree issued on July 24, 2026, the pardon does not apply to other penalties. The decree also instructs Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to take responsibility for its implementation.
Kem Sokha had received a pardon in May 2026 for the 27-year prison sentence imposed by the court, but was still barred from leaving the country for five years. On March 3, 2023, he was sentenced to 27 years’ imprisonment for collusion with foreign powers, confined to his home and permanently deprived of civil and political rights. He continued appealing the judgment to the Court of Appeal, but the appeal was rejected, the trial judgment was upheld and a five-year ban on leaving the country continued to apply, despite the higher court having held several hearings in the case since 2024.
By: ង៉ែត ពិសាន្ត
