Cambodia arrests opposition leader for alleged treason

Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha was arrested early on Sunday accused of treason, the government said in a statement, the latest in a flurry of legal cases lodged against critics and rivals of strongman premier Hun Sen.

His surprise arrest raises the stakes as Hun Sen's political opponents, NGOs and the critical press are smothered by court cases and threats ahead of a crunch general election next year.

Hun Sen is determined to extend his three-decade rule and withstand the burgeoning popularity of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).

Opposition handcuffed

The government statement alleged "a secret plan of conspiracy between Kem Sokha, his group, and foreigners that harms Cambodia," adding he was arrested early on Sunday.

"The above secret conspiracy is the act of treason," the statement said, without giving further details of the alleged crime.

Kem Sokha is the leader of the CNRP which has been battered by court cases, bans and threats against its key figures.

He was handcuffed and "taken away by 100-200 police without warrant after they raided his home," his daughter Kem Monovithya said in a Twitter post.

Foreign powers?

On Saturday night, a pro-government website, Fresh News, alleged that Kem Sokha had discussed overthrowing Hun Sen with support from the United States.

It did not provide any evidence for the claim.

Last week the US expressed "deep concern" over the state of Cambodia's democracy after the government there ordered out an American NGO and pursued a crackdown on independent media.

Among the media in the firing line is the well respected Cambodia Daily, which often criticises the government.

It faces closure on Monday if it fails to pay a $6.3 million tax bill, a threat it says is a political move to muzzle its critical reporting.

Cambodia Daily to close

The Cambodia Daily, one of the independent newspapers in the country announced on Sunday it was closing after 24 years.

The move has been seen latest in a series of blows to critics of strongman premier Hun Sen.

The paper said Monday's edition would be its last after it was slapped with a $6.3 million tax bill which its publishers said was politically motivated.

"The power to tax is the power to destroy. And after 24 years, one month and 15 days, the Cambodian government has destroyed The Cambodia Daily, a special and singular part of Cambodia's free press," the newspaper said in a statement.

The paper blamed "extra-legal threats by the government to close the Daily, freeze its accounts and prosecute the new owner" for the closure. 

The announcement came hours after opposition leader Kem Sokha was arrested and accused of treason.

The Cambodia Daily was set up in 1993 by veteran American journalist Bernard Krisher in the aftermath of Cambodia's  genocide from 1975-78 and subsequent civil war.

It publishes in English but also carries some articles in Khmer.

Krisher sold the paper to his daughter Deborah Krisher-Steele in April. 

Last month the Cambodian tax department said the paper owned $6.3 million in back taxes, with Hun Sen branding the owners "thieves" in one of his recent speeches.

The paper said the figure was "arbitrary" and not based on an audit of its books.

Last week the US expressed "deep concern" over the state of Cambodia's democracy after the government there ordered out an American NGO.