The U.S. condemns Mr. Kem Sokha arrest saying the government should reconsider the freedom of speech and democracy issues.
The Cambodian authorities arrest Mr. Kem Sokha, president of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), and Mr. Yeng Virak, director of the Community Legal Education Center (CLEC) Saturday in connection with a banner displayed at the CCHR booth during the International Human Rights Day,defaming the government.
A few hours before his arrest, Mr. Kem says that if the words on the banners offend the government, he apologizes and would take them down.
Mr. Sean McCormack US State Department spokesman condemns the arrest saying it is the Cambodian government's measures to silence the opposition.
Human Rights Watch, the IRI, opposition party, and NGOs blame the government saying it follows the Burmese model by imprisoning peaceful critics.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith says that the international community does not understand and that the government has to maintain the law of the country.