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Kem Sokha, president of main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was arrested early Sunday for allegedly attempting to overthrow the legitimate Cambodian government, according to a government statement.
"The government would like to inform the public that on September 3, 2017 at 00:35 a.m. (local time), Kem Sokha was caught red-handed by justice police in conformity with the Criminal Code of the Kingdom of Cambodia," the statement said.
The arrest was made just hours after an old video clip broadcast by Australia-based CBN (Cambodian Broadcasting Network) was posted on Facebook showing Kem Sokha told his supporters in Australia on Dec. 8, 2013 that he followed the order of the United States to prepare plans to overthrow the legitimate Cambodian government, taking the model of movement that overthrew the governments of Yugoslavia and Serbia.
"The government would like to inform that, through the video clip broadcast by Australia-based CBN (Cambodian Broadcasting Network) and other evidence collected by authorities, they clearly show the secret plan of the collusion between Kem Sokha and his group with foreigners that affects the Kingdom of Cambodia," the statement said.
"The act of above-mentioned secret collusion is the act of treason," it added.
According to the statement, Kem Sokha is facing the charges of treason and espionage under the article 443 of the kingdom's Criminal Code.
The article states that the act of entering into secret agreement with a foreign state or with its agents in order to create hostilities or aggression against Cambodia is punishable by imprisonment from 15 years to 30 years.
The statement also called on the public to keep calm and let the court to proceed with this case.
According to government-aligned media Fresh News, Kem Sokha, who is also a member of parliament, was arrested at his home in Phnom Penh and sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Police Station for questioning.
Kem Sokha, 64, became the president of the CNRP in March 2017, replacing his long-serving predecessor, Sam Rainsy, who resigned in February. Sam Rainsy, 68, has been living in self-exile in France since November 2015 to avoid at least eight-year-prison sentence for defamation and incitement cases.
