PHNOM PENH — Kem Sokha, Cambodia’s former opposition leader, was granted a royal pardon on May 25, 2026, by acting head of state Hun Sen in connection with a “conspiracy with foreign powers” case for which he had been sentenced to 27 years in prison.

According to the royal decree signed by Hun Sen, the pardon applies only to the prison sentence itself and does not remove additional penalties imposed by the court.

Article 1 of the decree states: “Grant a royal pardon to convict Kem Sokha, born in 1953, who was sentenced to 27 years imprisonment under the final criminal verdict No. 790 issued on April 30, 2026, by the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal.”

Meanwhile, Article 2 clearly specifies: “This royal pardon applies only to the principal prison sentence and does not apply to additional penalties.”

Prior to the pardon, the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal on April 30, 2026 upheld the lower court’s ruling sentencing Kem Sokha to 27 years in prison on charges of “conspiracy with foreign powers” following a two-day appeal hearing earlier that month.

Kem Sokha, 72, co-founder of the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was originally sentenced in 2023 and placed under house detention in Phnom Penh. He was convicted of treason over allegations that he conspired with the United States to overthrow the government of former Prime Minister Hun Sen, whose son, Prime Minister Hun Manet, now leads the country.

Kem Sokha has consistently denied all allegations since his arrest in 2017. In addition to the prison sentence, the lower court stripped him of his political rights and barred him from meeting foreigners or anyone outside his immediate family.

United Nations experts previously stated that the case appeared politically motivated and reflected a broader pattern of legal action against opposition figures in Cambodia.

Following the pardon announcement, Prime Minister Hun Manet wrote on his official Facebook page on the evening of May 25 that the move represented “another step toward strengthening national unity and reconciliation.”

At the same time, Chea Thyrith, spokesperson for Hun Sen, told local media that the pardon was a welcome development and reflected the “political morality” of Prime Minister Hun Manet, who requested the pardon from Hun Sen as acting head of state.

According to Chea Thyrith, one of the key reasons behind the pardon was Kem Sokha’s family situation, particularly the deteriorating health and advanced age of his mother, allowing him time and opportunity to care for her during the final stage of her life.

He added that the pardon also reflected the values of national reconciliation, unity, and political goodwill that many Cambodians wish to see in the country’s next generation of leadership.