Cambodia has freed a prominent opposition figure from house arrest more than two years after he was charged with treason, a court spokesperson told AFP on Sunday, after attempts by his colleagues to return to the country were thwarted.

Kem Sokha was arrested in 2017 and accused of plotting to overthrow the government of strongman Hun Sen, who has ruled since 1985.

He was sent to a remote prison, then confined to his house and the surrounding block and prohibited from talking to the media.

But "he can travel nationwide now", Y Rin, a Phnom Penh municipal court spokesman, told AFP.

Sokha is the co-founder of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party, which was dissolved ahead of elections swept by Hun Sen last year.

The new court ruling, which cited health concerns, forbids the 66-year-old from leaving Cambodia or joining political activities.

Pheng Heng, a lawyer for Kem Sokha, confirmed that some restrictions were lifted but said the ban on politics was too broadly worded and unclear.

Rights groups say Cambodia's legal system is controlled by Hun Sen's government.

The decision comes as Sokha's political partner Sam Rainsy is waylaid in Malaysia with other CNRP officials after attempting a highly-publicised comeback on November 9, Cambodia's independence day.

Rainsy, who has lived in France since 2015 to avoid jail for convictions he says are politically motivated, had promised a dramatic return.

But after being barred in Paris on Thursday from getting on a flight to Thailand, Rainsy boarded a plane a day later and arrived in Kuala Lumpur.

It is unclear how he will get back to the country and for now he plans to meet with Malaysian MPs this week.

He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sokha.

Dozens of activists have been rounded up in recent weeks in Cambodia, while Hun Sen has called on fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to arrest Rainsy in what the strongman has described as an attempted coup.

But Hun Sen is also under international pressure to ease restrictions on dissent as the European Union considers revoking a duty-free tariff scheme for Cambodia's lucrative garment sector.

ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights board member and former Philippines MP Teddy Baguilat called the court ruling misleading and an attempt to ward off sanction.

"This is just another cynical move by Hun Sen to try and hoodwink the international community", he said.

Cambodia has freed a prominent opposition figure from house arrest more than two years after he was charged with treason, a court spokesperson told AFP on Sunday, after attempts by his colleagues to return to the country were thwarted.

Cambodia has freed a prominent opposition figure from house arrest more than two years after he was charged with treason, a court spokesperson told AFP on Sunday, after attempts by his colleagues to return to the country were thwarted. Kem Sokha was arrested in 2017 and accused of plotting to overthrow the government of strongman Hun Sen, who has ruled since 1985. He was sent to a remote prison, then confined to his house and the surrounding block and prohibited from talking to the media. But "he can travel nationwide now", Y Rin, a Phnom Penh municipal court spokesman, told AFP. Sokha is the co-founder of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party, which was dissolved ahead of elections swept by Hun Sen last year. The new court ruling, which cited health concerns, forbids the 66-year-old from leaving Cambodia or joining political activities. Pheng Heng, a lawyer for Kem Sokha, confirmed that some restrictions were lifted but said the ban on politics was too broadly worded and unclear. Rights groups say Cambodia's legal system is controlled by Hun Sen's government. The decision comes as Sokha's political partner Sam Rainsy is waylaid in Malaysia with other CNRP officials after attempting a highly-publicised comeback on November 9, Cambodia's independence day. Rainsy, who has lived in France since 2015 to avoid jail for convictions he says are politically motivated, had promised a dramatic return. But after being barred in Paris on Thursday from getting on a flight to Thailand, Rainsy boarded a plane a day later and arrived in Kuala Lumpur. It is unclear how he will get back to the country and for now he plans to meet with Malaysian MPs this week. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Sokha. Dozens of activists have been rounded up in recent weeks in Cambodia, while Hun Sen has called on fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to arrest Rainsy in what the strongman has described as an attempted coup. But Hun Sen is also under international pressure to ease restrictions on dissent as the European Union considers revoking a duty-free tariff scheme for Cambodia's lucrative garment sector. ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights board member and former Philippines MP Teddy Baguilat called the court ruling misleading and an attempt to ward off sanction. "This is just another cynical move by Hun Sen to try and hoodwink the international community", he said.

Cambodia lifts house arrest restrictions on opposition figure

Voting got under way in Cambodia on Sunday in a Senate election that the ruling party of Prime Minister Hun Sen was expected to sweep following a crackdown on opposition.

The vote, to elect 58 members of the 62-strong Senate, will see 123 members of parliament and thousands of commune councillors vote across Cambodia. The country&#39;s king and National Assembly each appoint a further two Senate members.

Rights groups and members of the opposing Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) have called the vote a &quot;sham&quot; and &quot;undemocratic&quot; after almost half of the councillors were stripped of their right to vote after the CNRP was dissolved by a court last November at the government&#39;s request.

&quot;This election is different from before because there is no opposition party,&quot; said Thav Bunthy, 58, a commune councilor from Hun Sen&#39;s ruling Cambodian People&#39;s Party (CPP). &quot;It&#39;s not just good for my party but also for the country,&quot; he said, speaking outside a polling station in Phnom Penh.

The dissolution of the CNRP was followed by the arrest of its leader, Kem Sokha, last year for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government with U.S. help, an accusation both the United States and Kem Sokha have rejected.

The CNRP condemned the vote on Sunday, saying its 5,062 commune councillors and lawmakers had been stripped of their voting rights.

&quot;The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) calls on all friendly countries of Cambodia and the United Nations to not accept the results of the Senate election,&quot; the CNRP said in a statement.

Advocacy group ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights APHR said the vote cannot be considered &quot;a legitimate democratic exercise&quot;, after the dissolution of CNRP and the overall climate of repression over the past year.

Voting got underway in Cambodia on Sunday in a Senate election

Voting got under way in Cambodia on Sunday in a Senate election that the ruling party of Prime Minister Hun Sen was expected to sweep following a crackdown on opposition. The vote, to elect 58 members of the 62-strong Senate, will see 123 members of parliament and thousands of commune councillors vote across Cambodia. The country's king and National Assembly each appoint a further two Senate members. Rights groups and members of the opposing Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) have called the vote a "sham" and "undemocratic" after almost half of the councillors were stripped of their right to vote after the CNRP was dissolved by a court last November at the government's request. "This election is different from before because there is no opposition party," said Thav Bunthy, 58, a commune councilor from Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP). "It's not just good for my party but also for the country," he said, speaking outside a polling station in Phnom Penh. The dissolution of the CNRP was followed by the arrest of its leader, Kem Sokha, last year for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government with U.S. help, an accusation both the United States and Kem Sokha have rejected. The CNRP condemned the vote on Sunday, saying its 5,062 commune councillors and lawmakers had been stripped of their voting rights. "The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) calls on all friendly countries of Cambodia and the United Nations to not accept the results of the Senate election," the CNRP said in a statement. Advocacy group ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights APHR said the vote cannot be considered "a legitimate democratic exercise", after the dissolution of CNRP and the overall climate of repression over the past year.

Cambodia votes in Senate election, PM's party expected to win

Cambodia&#39;s Supreme Court dissolved the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party on Thursday, dealing a devastating blow to a party that had been poised to challenge the long-term rule of Prime Minister Hun Sen in an election next year.

&quot;The Supreme Court has decided to dissolve the Cambodia National Rescue Party and ban 118 individuals... from doing political activities for five years starting from the day of this verdict announcement,&quot; a judge said.

The CNRP was accused of plotting to topple the government - which it denied.

The opposition party did not send lawyers to Thursday&#39;s court session.

Critics see the verdict as the culmination of months of pressure on the opposition, civil society and independent media by the ruling Cambodian People&#39;s Party (CPP) in an attempt to quell the opposition ahead of the 2018 general election, which was expected to be Hun Sen&#39;s biggest challenge to his more than 30-year rule.

There were no signs of protest outside the court following the verdict.

'The Supreme Court has decided to dissolve the Cambodia National Rescue Party and ban 118 individuals ... from doing political activities for five years starting from the day of this verdict announcement,' a judge said

Cambodia's Supreme Court dissolved the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party on Thursday, dealing a devastating blow to a party that had been poised to challenge the long-term rule of Prime Minister Hun Sen in an election next year. "The Supreme Court has decided to dissolve the Cambodia National Rescue Party and ban 118 individuals... from doing political activities for five years starting from the day of this verdict announcement," a judge said. The CNRP was accused of plotting to topple the government - which it denied. The opposition party did not send lawyers to Thursday's court session. Critics see the verdict as the culmination of months of pressure on the opposition, civil society and independent media by the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) in an attempt to quell the opposition ahead of the 2018 general election, which was expected to be Hun Sen's biggest challenge to his more than 30-year rule. There were no signs of protest outside the court following the verdict.

Cambodian Supreme Court dissolves main opposition party