Phnom Penh: Cambodia has freed opposition leader Kem Sokha from house arrest, more than two years after he was arrested and charged with treason, but he remains banned from politics and from leaving the country, a court says.

The easing of restrictions comes a day after Sam Rainsy, a co-founder of their now-banned opposition party flew into the region from self-imposed exile saying he aimed to return home to rally opponents of authoritarian ruler Hun Sen.

A court has freed opposition leader Kem Sokha from house arrest.Credit:AP

Cambodia has also been under pressure to soften a political crackdown as the European Union considers whether to go ahead with potentially damaging cuts to trade preferences granted under the Everything But Arms (EBA) deal.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court said in a statement that Kem Sokha could leave his house, but that he could not engage in political activity or leave the country.

"He can travel anywhere but can't leave Cambodia," Justice Ministry spokesman Chin Malin told Reuters. "This is because he has been co-operative with the authorities."

Monovithya Kem, Kem Sokha's Washington-based daughter who is also a senior figure in the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that "I see this as the first of many steps in restoring Cambodia’s democracy".

"I am optimistic Kem Sokha will continue to lead this struggle, albeit now on a much more difficult road."

Kem Sokha, 66, was arrested in 2017 and the CNRP was banned in the run-up to a general election last year that Hun Sen's ruling party then swept but which was condemned as a farce by Western countries.

Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson said the release of Kem Sokha from home detention was likely "a last minute attempt to deflect European anger at the shoddy way Prime Minister Hun Sen and Cambodia have dealt with human rights concerns raised in the EBA process".

"But it’s really too little, too late for the EBA preliminary determination on November 12. Only in Hun Sen’s repressive Cambodia would letting someone held under house arrest during an investigation of politically fabricated allegations be considered ‘progress’ of some sort," he said.

"Nothing short of a complete exoneration of Kem Sokha and the full restoration of his civil and political rights is acceptable. The Cambodian government should immediately and unconditionally dismiss the bogus case against Kem Sokha, and let him resume his political activities without hindrance."

There have also been tensions within the CNRP between the Rainsy and Kem Sokha factions – both men have led the party – and it is possible that Hun Sen is attempting to stoke tensions within the opposition by releasing Sokha, even while severe restrictions remain in place on his political freedoms.

Hun Sen, 67, a former Khmer Rouge commander, has ruled the country of 16 million for more than 34 years with an iron fist and a wily ability to play off his opponents against each other and sow division among them.

Rainsy, 70, flew into Malaysia on Saturday and told supporters to "keep up the hope" after promising to return home with other exiled opposition leaders to challenge Hun Sen.

In Malaysia, Sam Rainsy was meeting officials to discuss strategy on Sunday. CNRP officials there said they had no immediate comment on the easing of restrictions on Kem Sokha.

Reuters

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