Comment for “Former Leader of Largest Opposition Party to be Imprisoned for 27 Years Before General Election for “Conspiring with Foreign Powers and Treason”” [In Japanese]
On March 3, 2023, Asahi Shimbun introduced a comment by Dr. Maiko Ichihara, GGR researcher and professor of the Graduate School of Law at Hitotsubashi University. The professor commented on the article “Former Leader of Largest Opposition Party to be Imprisoned for 27 Years Before General Election for “Conspiring with Foreign Powers and Treason’.” The article reports that Kem Sokha, former leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, was sentenced to 27 years of imprisonment for the act of conspiring with foreign states to overthrow the government. Since general elections are coming up in July, many people have indicated that this sentencing is a way for the current government to clamp down on opposition parties. Professor Ichihara commented that this action taken by the Cambodian government is a typical example of “rule by law”, rather than a state of “rule of law”, in which equality under the law is ensured. She indicates that the current administration is doing everything in its power to win the upcoming general election; hence preventing a fair election. In the end, she argues that the international community, including Japan, should not acknowledge the results of the July election and should aid Cambodia in building a more democratic government.
