Cambodia releases 10 activists after king grants pardon

Cambodia on Saturday freed 10 land activists, who had been imprisoned on protest-related convictions last year, after King Norodom Sihamoni granted them a royal pardon at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen, an opposition lawmaker said.

The Cambodian court convicted the 10 female-activists, including a prominent protest leader Tep Vanny, of blocking a public road and obstructing the work of public officials during their protests in November and sentenced them between six months and one year.

"They were released from Prey Sar prison on Saturday afternoon after the king granted them amnesty," Eng Chhai Eang, a lawmaker of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), told Xinhua.

"The release came after negotiations between CNRP president Sam Rainsy and Prime Minister Hun Sen."

The release of the activists comes just two days after lawmakers from the Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the CNRP approved the nine members of the new National Election Committee, a central component of the July political deal that ended the CNRP's 10-month boycott of parliament.

Local rights group Licadho, which provided legal aid to some of the activists, also confirmed the release in a news statement.

"The release was part of the latest political deal between the ruling and opposition party leaders on Thursday," the statement said, adding that "additional releases of opposition activists and monks are expected this coming Monday, April 13, 2015."

CNRP lawyer Choung Choungy said Saturday that on April 13, the court will hold a bail hearing for five CNRP figures charged with involvement in an insurrection over a violent protest in July and three monks imprisoned after holding an illegal protest.

"I hope that the five CNRP activists and three monks will be freed on bail Monday; however, the decision is up to the court," he said.