Key facts
- Kem Monovithya, daughter of pardoned opposition leader Kem Sokha, appointed special envoy to PM Hun Manet.
- The role carries a ministerial rank.
- Kem Sokha was convicted of treason in 2023 and pardoned in May.
- Kem Sokha was accused of conspiring with the U.S. to overthrow the government.
- Kem Monovithya's father's party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party, was dissolved in 2017.
PHNOM PENH, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Kem Monovithya, the daughter of a recently pardoned Cambodian opposition figure, has been appointed as a special envoy to Prime Minister Hun Manet. The appointment, detailed in a royal decree signed by King Norodom Sihamoni, carries a rank equivalent to a minister and is seen as a rare concession to the political opposition in Cambodia.
Kem Monovithya's father, Kem Sokha, was convicted of treason in 2023 and sentenced to 27 years of house arrest, charges he denied. He was pardoned by the king in May. Kem Sokha was arrested in 2017, accused of conspiring with the United States to overthrow then-premier Hun Sen, the father of the current Prime Minister Hun Manet. Kem Sokha's Cambodia National Rescue Party was dissolved in 2017, leading to the exile and imprisonment of many members.
Prime Minister Hun Manet posted a picture on Facebook with Kem Monovithya, referring to her as his "sister" and suggesting collaboration on international matters. This appointment follows a recent meeting between Hun Sen, now Cambodia's Senate president, and Kem Sokha, which Kem Monovithya also attended.
Human rights groups and Western governments have long accused the ruling Cambodian People's Party of monopolizing politics through the persecution of opponents, allegations the party denies.