Cambodia's highest court dissolves main opposition party
By Marta Kasztelan,
Phnom Penh - Cambodia's Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the main opposition party be dissolved, a ruling critics said spelled the "death of democracy" in the country.
The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) was seen as the only viable contender to take on Prime Minister Hun Sen in next year's parliamentary elections.
The court sided with the Interior Ministry, which had accused the CNRP of "conspiring" to carry out a "colour revolution" with the help of the US and with the aim of toppling the government.
The court also banned party leader Kem Sokha and former leader Sam Rainsy, as well as 116 other senior CNRP officials, from politics for a period of five years.
The decision to disband the CNRP comes on the heels of a months-long crackdown on opposition, media outlets and non-governmental organizations, which analysts say is meant to solidify Hun Sen's position ahead of elections next July.
"There was never any doubt about the verdict in this case," said Phil Robertson, a deputy director at US-based Human Rights Watch, in a statement.
"This is the death of democracy in Cambodia," he said.
CNRP's dissolution was made possible under highly controversial legislation passed by the government earlier this year.
The ruling was handed down as CNRP leader Kem Sokha awaits his trial on widely decried treason charges, following a middle-of-the-night arrest on September 3.
In line with recent amendments to election laws, which were hastily passed last month, CNRP will loose all of its 55 seats at the National Assembly and 489 of its commune chiefs.
The CNRP cannot appeal the decision as the Supreme Court is the court of the highest instance in Cambodia.
The court sided with the Interior Ministry, which had accused the CNRP of "conspiring" to carry out a "colour revolution" with the help of the US and with the aim of toppling the government.
The court also banned party leader Kem Sokha and former leader Sam Rainsy, as well as 116 other senior CNRP officials, from politics for a period of five years.
The decision to disband the CNRP comes on the heels of a months-long crackdown on opposition, media outlets and non-governmental organizations, which analysts say is meant to solidify Hun Sen's position ahead of elections next July.
"There was never any doubt about the verdict in this case," said Phil Robertson, a deputy director at US-based Human Rights Watch, in a statement.
"This is the death of democracy in Cambodia," he said.
CNRP's dissolution was made possible under highly controversial legislation passed by the government earlier this year.
The ruling was handed down as CNRP leader Kem Sokha awaits his trial on widely decried treason charges, following a middle-of-the-night arrest on September 3.
In line with recent amendments to election laws, which were hastily passed last month, CNRP will loose all of its 55 seats at the National Assembly and 489 of its commune chiefs.
The CNRP cannot appeal the decision as the Supreme Court is the court of the highest instance in Cambodia.
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