Prime Minister Hun Sen must free Kem Sokha immediately
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement regarding a
letter the Cambodian Embassy sent him on Tuesday which was sent in response to his
letter of October 23 expressing concerns about the unjustified imprisonment of Kem Sokha president of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP):
On October 23rd I wrote to Cambodian Ambassador Chum Bun Rong demanding the release of Kem Sokha President of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP). As I made clear to the Cambodian government at the time charging Kem Sokha with treason is the latest step in Prime 
Minister Hun Sens ongoing quest to evade democratic accountability and undo the work the United States Japan and Europe have invested in Cambodia since the Paris Peace Accords in 1991. Beyond imprisoning the political opposition Kem Sokha has shut down radio stations carrying programming from Radio Free Asia and Voice of America banned the National Democratic Institute from operating inside Cambodia and threatened to officially dissolve the CNRP.
Yesterday Ambassador Bun Rong responded to my inquiry with dismissive excuses and empty platitudes. It is not fair that the Cambodian government is criticized and threatened with punitive action for taking legal action to protect its own security peace independence and sovereignty just as any other nations would do the Ambassador laments. Further the arrest of Kem Sokha and the imminent dissolution of the CNRP does not spell the end of pluralistic and democratic institutions in Cambodia. Rather in the Ambassadors and Prime Ministers opinion the counterproductive agents of change like Kem Sokha are the true threat to Cambodia.
This attempt from the Cambodian government to assuage the United States is deeply concerning. Tomorrow is the final day Cambodian citizens can register to vote in the 2018 elections. If specific conditions are not met including releasing Kem Sokha allowing radio stations to resume broadcasting at their discretion and allowing democratic organizations to operate within Cambodia it will be impossible for the United States and our allies to recognize the legitimacy of these elections.
Hun Sen must take the first step toward meeting these conditions by freeing Kem Sokha. And he must do so immediately. Otherwise I will work with my colleagues in Congress and in the administration to see that as an initial response specified government officials responsible for these actions are prevented from traveling to the United States."
