Kem Sokha

Kem Sokha
កឹម សុខា
Leader of the Opposition
In office 16 November 2015 – 31 January 2017
Prime Minister	Hun Sen
Preceded by	Sam Rainsy
Succeeded by	Position abolished
First Vice President of the National Assembly
In office 26 August 2014 – 30 October 2015
President	Heng Samrin
Preceded by	Nguon Nhel
Succeeded by	You Hockry
Additional positions President of the Cambodia National Rescue Party In office 2 March 2017 – 16 November 2017 Deputy Pol Hom Mu Sochua Eng Chhai Eang Preceded by Sam Rainsy Succeeded by None, party dissolved Vice President of the Cambodia National Rescue Party In office 1 April 2013 – 2 March 2017 President Sam Rainsy Preceded by Position established Succeeded by Pol Hom Mu Sochua Eng Chhai Eang President of the Human Rights Party In office 22 July 2007 – 1 April 2013 Deputy Son Soubert Pen Sovan Preceded by Position established Succeeded by Son Soubert President of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights In office 3 October 2002 – 1 May 2007 Preceded by Position established Succeeded by Ou Virak Member of the National Assembly In office 24 September 2008 – 3 September 2017 Succeeded by You Hockry Constituency Kampong Cham In office 14 June 1993 – 26 July 1998 Constituency Takéo Member of the Senate In office 1999–2002
Personal details
Born	(1953-06-27) 27 June 1953 (age 71) Tram Kak, Takéo, Cambodia, French Indochina
Political party	Cambodia National Rescue Party (2012–2017) Human Rights Party (2007–2012) Independent (2002–2007) FUNCINPEC (1999–2002) Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party (1993–1999) Khmer People's National Liberation Front (1992–1993)[1]
Spouse	Te Chanmono ​ (m. 1980)​
Children	2, including Monovithya
Education	University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (M.Sc.) Royal University of Law and Economics
Profession	Activist Politician
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Kem Sokha (Khmer: កឹម សុខា; born 27 June 1953) is a Cambodian former politician and activist who most recently served as the President of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). He served as the Minority Leader, the highest-ranking opposition parliamentarian, of the National Assembly from December 2016 to January 2017, and previously as the First Vice President of the National Assembly from August 2014 to October 2015.^[2][3][4] He represented Kampong Cham as its Member of Parliament (MP) from 2008 to 2017. From 2007 to 2012, Kem was the leader of the Human Rights Party, which he founded.

Kem was arrested and imprisoned at a detention centre in Tbong Khmum Province on 3 September 2017 under allegations of treason. In November 2017, the CNRP was dissolved, and 118 of its members, including Kem, were banned from politics for five years. On 10 September 2018, more than a year after his arrest, he was released on bail, and subsequently placed under house arrest. On 10 November 2019, Kem was released from house arrest.

In March 2023, he was convicted and sentenced to 27 years of house arrest.^[5]