CNRP President Returns Amid Threat of Further Arrests

Human Rights Watch calls for release of detained

The imprisoned CNRP MPs-elect are:

• Mu Sochua, lawmaker-elect, Battambang
• Men Sothavarin, lawmaker-elect, Kampong Thom
• Keo Phirum, lawmaker-elect, Kratie
• Ho Vann, lawmaker-elect, Phnom Penh
• Real Camerin, lawmaker-elect, Svay Rieng
• Nuth Rumduol, lawmaker-elect, Kampong Speu
• Long Ry, lawmaker-elect, Banteay Meanchey

The imprisoned CNRP grassroots activist is Oeur Narith.

The first three were arrested on July 15 during the violent clashes which broke out at a CNRP-organised demonstration to protest the months-long closure of Phnom Penh’s Freedom Park. Ho Vann was arrested later in the day when he voluntarily attended the police station. Real Camerin was arrested on the morning of July16. Nuth Rumduol and Long Ry were arrested yesterday afternoon at Long Ry's home. All of them have been charged charged under Cambodia’s Criminal Code articles 28 and 218 (instigating aggravated intentional violence), 495 (inciting others to commit a felony) and 459 (leading an insurrectional movement). The latter charge carries a sentence of up to 30 years’ imprisonment. All eight are currently held in pre-trial detention at CC1 and CC2 prisons

Yesterday Human Rights Watch issued a call for them to be released immediately and unconditionally and for all charges to be dropped. Brad Adams, Asia director, commented:

Opposition supporters, no matter how frustrated they were with having their rally broken up, have no excuse for severely beating security forces, yet that’s no basis for the authorities to charge CNRP politicians with inciting violence, much less absurd counts like ‘insurrection.’ This is just another pretext for threatening opposition leaders with prison.

To read the full statement click here

Updated at 17:50 ICT

Ahead of his return to Cambodia Sam Rainsy has posted a statement on his Facebook page giving his thoughts on the current political situation.

Updated at 16:48 ICT

CNRP supporters turn out for the detained

On both July 16 and 17, CNRP activists have shown their support for their arrested leaders by holding protests in front of the Municipal Court.

CNRP calls on supporters to attend airport

President of CNRP Youth Hing Sok San has asked party members and supporters to gather at the airport tomorrow morning to welcome Sam Rainsy upon his arrival.

Updated at 17:25 ICT

The Phnom Penh Post released powerful footage of Tuesday's violence between CNRP supporters and security forces. Dozens were injured during the clashes, the majority of whom were district security guards.

This ends our coverage for this evening. Please join us tomorrow for more updates.

Updated at 18:03 ICT

Party supporters gather at airport

Good morning and welcome to today's live coverage of events.

Several hundred CNRP supporters have already started to assemble at the airport in anticipation of Sam Rainsy's arrival at 9 am.

Earlier this morning, armed intervention police were seen along the road to and outside CNRP headquarters in Chak Angre Leu in the south of Phnom Penh.

Updated at 08:11 ICT

international organisations condemn arrests

CNRP President Sam Rainsy is returning to Cambodia following the arrest and pre-trial detention of eight of his colleagues. A number of international organisations have expressed their concern about the arrests and called for the release of all those who have been detained.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights commented in particular on the insurrection charge:

We are concerned about the very serious charges which were brought against them, including ‘insurrection’, given the widely observed efforts by opposition leaders to calm the protesters and stop the violence during the clashes. Any politically motivated charges must be dropped immediately

You can read the full statement here.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union has referred the case to its Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians for follow-up action and investigation. Their full statement is here.

The daughter of detained CNRP lawmaker-elect Mu Sochua has tweeted about the denial of access of family members to prison. So far no family members have been allowed to visit.

No luck with family visit to #musochua in prison. Need more permission. Try again tomorrow.

— Devi Leiper O'Malley (@devi_lo) July 18, 2014

Updated at 08:32 ICT

Supporters at the airport hold signs calling for the release of the detained CNRP lawmakers-elect.

Updated at 08:38 ICT

Around a thousand CNRP supporters are now at the airport awaiting the arrival of Sam Rainsy. Many have come from the provinces including this group who travelled from Pursat.

Updated at 08:46 ICT

Yesterday the Phnom Penh Post published profiles of six of the detained CNRP MPs-elect.

A who's who of the arrested opposition politicians | #Cambodia #protestsKH http://t.co/29EUFwEnTC

— phnompenhpost (@phnompenhpost) July 17, 2014

rainsy arrives

Sam Rainsy's Thai Airways plane has just landed at Phnom Penh airport. Supporters outside the airport wave CNRP and Buddhist flags.

Updated at 09:08 ICT