(7 Dec 2016) Cambodia's opposition leader Kem Sokha returned to the National Assembly on Wednesday after receiving a pardon from King Norodom Sihamoni.
Kem Sokha has said that he and Prime Minister Hun Sen have reached a new political deal that pushes the ruling and opposition parties to work together for the benefit of the country.
Lawmakers from the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) had stopped attending parliamentary sessions for six months after its members were stripped of their parliamentary immunity and confronted with lawsuits by Hun Sen's government.
The opposition and human rights groups say the cases against the opposition are politically motivated, mounted to harass them.
King Norodom Sihamoni on Friday pardoned Kem Sokha, deputy leader of the CNRP and minority leader in the National Assembly, acting at the request of Hun Sen.
The move allows him to avoid five months in prison for failing to answer a summons in a case involving his alleged mistress.
Kem Sokha's situation contrasts with that of CNRP leader Sam Rainsy, who faces a two-year prison term and new charges and is barred from returning from self-imposed exile.
The pardon could drive a wedge between the two opposition leaders and their supporters, weakening their unity ahead of the polls.
Sam Rainsy has long been Hun Sen's most formidable critic, but some leading opposition members have already criticised him for failing to return from abroad to challenge the prime minister.
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