Cambodia's deputy opposition leader returns to parliament after receiving royal pardon

Cambodia's deputy opposition leader returns to parliament after receiving royal pardon 

Source:Xinhua /  | 7 December 2016

Deputy opposition leader and lawmaker Kem Sokha returned to the National Assembly on Wednesday after King Norodom Sihamoni granted him a royal pardon. 

Sokha, deputy leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), had boycotted the parliament since October last year after the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) lawmakers voted to remove him as the parliament's first vice president. 

In September, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced him to five months in prison for "refusal to appear" in court over a prostitution case involving his alleged mistress. His conviction was upheld by the Appeals Court in November. 

In fear of arrest, Sokha had been holed up at the party headquarters on the southern outskirts of Phnom Penh since May 26, as dozens of his supporters had gathered at the party ground-floor to protect him. 

The deputy opposition leader just left the party headquarters for his home on Sunday, two days after the king delivered him a pardon at the request of Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen. 

"My return to the National Assembly came after I had discussed some issues with Samdech Techo Prime Minister and we reached a common ground: working together towards national unification, stability, peace and development for our people," Sokha told the parliament. 

"We will continue working together in the framework of the same Khmers to resolve national issues between Khmers and Khmers," he said. 

On Tuesday, National Assembly president Samdech Heng Samrin recognized Sokha as the parliamentary minority leader "with a rank equal to the prime minister", replacing CNRP's leader Sam Rainsy, who has been living in exile in France since November last year to avoid a two-year prison sentence over a defamation charge. 

Speaking during the assembly's session, Hun Sen said from now on, Sokha would be his dialogue partner on issues concerning national interests. 

Cambodian parliament comprises 123 lawmakers, including 68 from the ruling CPP and 55 from the opposition CNRP.