EU Urges Cambodia To Respect Fair Trial Rules As Mass Trials Of Opposition Figures Ongoing

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd March, 2021) The European Union calls on the Cambodian authorities to respect the rule of law and international trial standards as mass trials of approximately 150 Cambodian opposition individuals affiliated with the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) are ongoing, a spokesperson for the European External Action Service (EEAS) said on Tuesday.

The statement came after the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Monday sentenced nine leaders of the opposition in exile to 20 to 25 years in prison. The hearings were conducted in absentia, as the accused were not allowed to return home to defend themselves in court, which the EU considers to be a violation of due process rights, established by the international human rights legislation.

"The Cambodian authorities must respect the rule of law and due process, and ensure that the right to political participation and fundamental freedoms are fully respected, including freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. The European Union reiterates its call on the Cambodian authorities to initiate a process of national reconciliation through genuine and inclusive dialogue," the EEAS spokesperson said in a statement.

The diplomat added that the right to a fair trial should be guaranteed to all Cambodian citizens, regardless of their political affiliation.

In November 2017, the Supreme Court of Cambodia ruled to dissolve the CNRP and annulled the mandates of all its members, which Amnesty International called a "blatant act of political repression" and a serious violation of freedom of association. The party has since faced politically motivated accusations that it conspired with Washington to instigate a coup d'etat, while the party's supporters and activists have been arrested and faced what many believe to be politically motivated criminal charges.