(Phnom Penh): The British Embassy expressed its support for the royal pardon granted by King Norodom Sihamoni concerning Kem Sokha’s custodial sentence, according to a statement issued by the British Embassy in Phnom Penh on Wednesday (May 27).

In the statement, the embassy stated, "The British Embassy has closely followed the legal case against Kem Sokha and has advocated for his release from detention and the restoration of his political freedoms. In this context, we welcome the royal pardon of his custodial sentence."

It should be noted that Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Acting Head of State of Cambodia, issued a royal decree on 25 May 2026, granting a pardon to Kem Sokha, who had previously received a 27-year prison sentence. The pardon applies only to the prison sentence imposed as the principal penalty. 

The court convicted Kem Sokha of conspiracy with a foreign power under Article 443 of the Criminal Code and arrested him on 3 September 2017. Before granting the pardon, the Court of Appeal upheld the initial court's verdict. It imposed a five-year travel ban to foreign countries on him in a ruling delivered on 30 April 2026.
=FRESH NEWS