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Cambodia opposition leader leaves headquarters for first time in five months
Kem Sokha was recently sentenced to five months in prison for refusing to honour a court summons to testify in connection with a sex scandal in which he is involved
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Cambodia’s main opposition party on Wednesday welcomed a sign of cooling political tension after authorities refrained from arresting its leader, Kem Sokha, on his emergence from months of being holed up in party headquarters.
Tension between the country’s two main political parties has risen in recent months, with the opposition complaining of a crackdown on critics in a bid to intimidate it before a general election in 2018.
Sam Rainsy, the top leader of the main opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) is in self-exile to avoid arrest over a case he says was raked up for political reasons, while Sokha, the acting leader, had stayed in the headquarters since May 6, to avoid what he said were separate trumped-up charges.
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Last month, Sokha was sentenced to five months in jail in absentia, on charges of failing to appear in court as a witness in a case against two opposition legislators accused of procuring a prostitute for him.
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In a speech on Wednesday, Sokha called for an end to political hostilities as he registered for local elections next year.
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