Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen recently revealed that he will be asking for a royal decree to grant permission for more than 100 senior members of the now-dissolved opposition party, Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) to re-enter politics based on “individual merit,” following a ban last year. The ban led to a controversial yet overwhelming win in the recent election on 29 July for Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP).

“To dignify what happened as “polls” is to give them too much credit. The Soviet Union also held elections. No-one believes they were free and fair.”That was Associate Professor of Diplomacy and World Affairs at Occidental College, Los Angeles, Sophal Ear’s reaction towards Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s sweeping victory in last week’s Senate elections.Cambodia has dominated the headlines over the past few months for a variety of reasons.

After the government disbanded the main opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) last November, Cambodia’s opposition was thought to have quivered into nothingness, with no hope of a comeback. However, a resurgence is in the offing with the newly minted Cambodian National Rescue Movement (CNRM).From the get go, one thing is obvious.

With Beijing smiling down upon him – showering the developing country with investments minus any obligations to human rights and democracy – Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen continues his iron fist rule without any fear of opposition.His most blatantly undemocratic move was to dissolve the existing opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) which was met with immense condemnation by the western world.Now, he is going after the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), a lea

Cambodia’s democracy woes are far from over.On Thursday, the country’s Supreme court dissolved the main opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) and banned 118 its politicians from office for five years.

Cambodia's top court is expected to rule Thursday on the dissolution of the country's main opposition party, with rights groups warning that a guilty verdict would strip the 2018 elections of any credibility.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s 32-year grip on the nation has tightened further when the country’s parliament passed amendments to the laws governing political parties which would redistribute seats to smaller parties if the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) is dissolved.67 MPs (member of parliaments) of the ruling party including Hun Sen himself voted in favour of the amendment which passed without any debate.

Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen is on an unstoppable onslaught. Communal elections in June this year have shown that his ruling CPP (Cambodian People’s Party) is fast losing its foothold amongst voters. Supporters are leaving his party in droves in favour of the opposition CNRP (Cambodian National Rescue Party) ahead of the general election slated for next year. But Hun Sen is having none of this.

Sitting last month in the Phnom Penh villa that houses Cambodia’s main opposition party, Mu Sochua searched for a way to fight back against one of the world’s longest-serving leaders.Her boss in the Cambodia National Rescue Party, whose face adorns a banner hanging in front of the building, was in jail over accusations that he plotted with the US to seize power. Independent media outlets closed down due to government pressure.

Nearly half of Cambodia's opposition parliamentarians have fled abroad in the past month to escape a government crackdown that has battered their party with legal cases, an MP said on Wednesday.The exodus further imperils the prospects of a party that poses the only viable challenge to premier Hun Sen in next year's national poll.The strongman has smothered dissent in the lead-up to the election and is accused of picking off his critics through a series of dubious court cases.