The Guardian reports that Hun Sen, Cambodia’s prime minister, sent a letter to King Norodom Sihamoni asking for Rainsy’s pardon “in the spirit of national reconciliation, national unity and to make sure the national election process is conducted under the principle of democracy with freedom and pluralism and jointly by all involved parties.”
Sihamoni granted the request on Friday.
Rainsy has been living in France for four years since he was charged in 2010 with uprooting Cambodian borders with Vietnam in the drawing of a map, as well as spreading false information about Cambodian borders, Al Jazeera reports. The former charge carried a jail sentence of two years, the latter a sentence of 10 years. Rainsy claims the charges were politically motivated.
The US and other countries had expressed doubts that Rainsy’s exclusion would call into question the legitimacy of Cambodia’s elections, which are scheduled for July 28. However, Phay Siphan, Hun Sen’s cabinet spokesperson, denies the pardon came because of international pressure. “The prime minister did it for the sake of the country and in the spirit of national reconciliation,” he said. “Sam Rainsy is free now. He can come back to Cambodia. We welcome him back.”
Rainsy called the pardon a “small victory,” but stressed that more needs to be done for Cambodia’s democracy.
Experts have said that while Rainsy’s return is unlikely to have a large effect on the polls, it will be a morale boost for his party. Recently, 28 MPs from the Sam Rainsy party were expelled from parliament after a committee, led by Hun Sen, said that the MPs had broken the law by campaigning under the banner of the Cambodia National Rescue Party as opposed the party they won their seats under.
The Economist reports that Hun Sen has been in power since 1985 and has done very little campaigning on his own. His party has gained more seats in every Cambodian election since democracy was restored in 1998. His party won 90 out of the parliament’s 123 seats in the last election.
