# Supreme Court dissolves the Cambodia National Rescue Party

Date: 2017

## The fact

On 16 November 2017 Cambodia’s Supreme Court dissolved the [Cambodia National Rescue Party](/organizations/cambodia-national-rescue-party) after [Kem Sokha](/people/kem-sokha)’s 3 September arrest. [Hun Sen](/people/hun-sen) was prime minister. The 2018 [National Assembly](/organizations/national-assembly) election returned every seat to the CPP.

## Context

Kem Sokha and [Sam Rainsy](/people/sam-rainsy) are unresolved. Hun Manet is live and is not the author of this 2017 bar. Candlelight’s 15 May 2023 disqualification is neighbouring Hun Sen-era weather stored on Manet’s page as not-Manet.

Sokha arrest 3 September; dissolution 16 November 2017; 2018 sweep. Store the dissolution as the instrument. Keep Supreme Court dissolves the Cambodia National Rescue Party on 2017-11-16 separate from neighbouring 16 November 2017 CNRP dissolution, 3 March 2023 Sokha verdict, 22 August 2023 Manet endorsement (live son’s page), 3 April 2024 Senate presidency, and 25 May 2026 pardon.

Prime minister until 22 August 2023, Senate president from 3 April 2024, CPP president, and acting head of state when the King is abroad. That office can dissolve an opposition party, take a treason verdict, confirm a Senate gavel, and countersign a royal pardon. It does not write Hun Manet’s 22 August 2023 endorsement as this Contribution, and a pardon that leaves politics bans is not converted here into a civic opening.

## Evidence and sources

Agence Kampuchea Presse carries the official instrument or communique. Reuters records the same dated act independently.

## Significance

The path is electoral integrity and [civic space](/drivers/civic-space): a completed destruction of the only credible opposition vehicle.

## What is established and what is not

Established: A 16 November 2017 Supreme Court dissolution of the CNRP, independently recorded, while he was prime minister.

Not established: A unique 2018 turnout coefficient, or that Hun Manet wrote 2017.

What would change the picture: a contradictory original with a different date or name, a later repeal, a court that vacated the instrument, or a measured series that can be argued, with lag and alternatives, as a consequence of this instrument rather than of later institutions.

The date is the date of this instrument, not a licence to back-date every later harm or benefit.

The Supreme Court, CPP-aligned, dissolved the party. Sokha’s arrest preceded.. A later repeal, court stay, or successor order would be a different Fact with a different date. That pair identifies Supreme Court dissolves the Cambodia National Rescue Party, not a later speech about Supreme Court dissolves the Cambodia National Rescue Party.

Co-authors and later implementers named in Context remain on the file. Supreme Court dissolves the Cambodia National Rescue Party on 2017-11-16 is not a licence to treat every later Agence Kampuchea Presse communique as this same act. If a later repeal, stay, or successor instrument exists, it needs its own date and its own row. This dossier refuses to average Supreme Court dissolves the Cambodia National Rescue Party into a personality. The contribution described on this Person row is limited to He was prime minister. The Supreme Court, CPP-aligned, dissolved the party. Sokha’s arrest preceded. That limit is the alternative to treating office-holding as authorship of every later series.

## People

- Hun Sen: https://factrail.ai/people/hun-sen

## Drivers

- Civic Space: https://factrail.ai/drivers/civic-space
- Hun Sen post-Manet power (Cambodia): https://factrail.ai/drivers/hun-sen-post-manet-power
- Electoral Integrity and Competitiveness: https://factrail.ai/drivers/electoral-integrity-and-competitiveness

## Sources

- https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-politics-idUSKBN1DG0MH
- https://www.akp.gov.kh/

## Methodology

https://factrail.ai/methodology

Canonical: https://factrail.ai/facts/kh-cnrp-dissolved-2017