US Senator Ted Cruz has called on the Cambodian government led by Prime Minister Hun Sen to release opposition leader Kem Sokha by November 9. If not, the senator would urge the US Government to impose a visa sanction to high ranking Cambodian government officials.
In a letter to Cambodian Ambassador to the United States and Mexico Chum Bun Rong, the senator said that the charge against Mr. Sokha for treason was politically motivated and a move to evade democratic accountability.
Senator Cruz also said that the government's move to amend the election laws and the attempt to dissolve the opposition party CNRP, was Prime Minister Hun Sen's efforts to «disable the institutions of democratic governance.»
Furthermore, according to the senator, the closure of a number of local radio stations and the imprisonment of Mr. Sokha proved that Prime Minister Hun Sen "has undermined the US-Cambodia relations and the Cambodian democracy.
The letter ended with an ultimatum, calling on the government to release Kem Sokha or face a travel ban.
“This attempt to undermine the Cambodian people’s faith in their democratic process must cease immediately,” the letter said.
“If your Prime Minister does not release Kem Sokha by November 9th, I will work with my colleagues in Congress and in the Trump administration to see that specified government officials responsible for these actions are prevented from travelling to the United States.”
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