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Cambodian opposition party negotiates release of jailed activists ahead of Khmer New Year

Xinhua, April 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) has negotiated the release of 18 activists, who have been imprisoned since last year for illegal and violent protests, an opposition lawmaker and a lawyer said on Friday.

The 18 activists include 10 land activists, who were sentenced between six months and one year in November for blocking a road and obstructing the work of public officials during their protests, and five CNRP figures, who were detained for their involvement in a violent protest on July 15, as well as three monks, who were arrested for their outlawed protests.

The negotiation for the release of those activists comes a day after lawmakers from Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the Sam Rainsy-led CNRP approved nine members of the new National Election Committee during a parliamentary session on Thursday.

"For the Boeung Kak land activists, we have proposed the prime minister to ask the king to grant them a royal pardon," opposition lawmaker Eng Chhay Eang told reporters at the parliament. "For the monks and CNRP activists, the court will hold a bail hearing on Monday, April 13, but granting bail to them or not is up to the discretion of the court."

CNRP lawyer Choung Choungy predicted that all 18 jailed activists will be released on Monday, a day ahead of Khmer New Year.

"According to my prediction, they will be released (on bail) on Monday evening. This is thanks to good political resolution between the top leaders of the CPP and CNRP," he told reporters.

CNRP ended its 10-month long boycott of parliament over the 2013 elections on July 22, 2014.

Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy announced Thursday that they will, for the first time, jointly inaugurate the Angkor Sankranta festival, which will be held on April 14-16 in northwest Cambodia's Siem Reap City to celebrate Khmer New Year. Endi