PHNOM PENH, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian court on Thursday extended, for the second time, another six-month pre-trial detention of former opposition leader Kem Sokha, who has been behind bars almost a year on treason charges.
Phnom Penh Municipal Court Investigating Judge Ky Rithy on Thursday morning held a hearing at the Trapaing Thlong Prison in southeastern Tboung Khmum province, where Sokha is being detained, and decided to extend his pre-trial detention again, according to a warrant of further detention seen by Xinhua.
In the warrant, Ky Rithy ordered the prison chief to extend a further temporary detention of Kem Sokha until there is a new decision.
Kem Sokha, president of the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was arrested on Sept. 3 last year and charged with treason for conspiring with a foreign power in an attempt to overthrow the government. The 65-year-old former opposition leader is facing up to 30 years in prison if found guilty of committing treason.
More than two months after his arrest, the CNRP was dissolved by the Supreme Court and 118 senior party members were banned from joining politics for five years.
Chan Chen, one of Kem Sokha's lawyers, was disappointed with the court's decision, saying that the court should grant bail to his client since he had not committed the alleged crimes.
"We regret that the judge extended the detention of our client for another six months," he told Xinhua. "The court has placed him in a pre-trial detention for nearly one year already, so I think this period should be long enough for them to complete investigations into the case."
