Cambodian court summons members of defunct opposition party

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – A court in northwestern Cambodia has summoned for questioning more than two dozen regional members of the defunct opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party, accusing them of engaging in politics even though their party was dissolved by the Supreme Court a year and a half ago.

The action was criticized Wednesday by New York-based Human Rights Watch, which said it amounted to government harassment and should stop immediately.

The Supreme Court banned 118 senior members of the CNRP from political activity for five years, but did not include any of the 26 people summoned in Battambang province, who mainly were local officials who just had to leave their jobs.

The party's dissolution was seen as being orchestrated by Prime Minister Hun Sen's government to assure victory in the 2018 general election.