Former opposition leader in Cambodia shot dead in Bangkok, Thailand
Lim Kimya, a former member of Cambodia’s National Assembly and a prominent figure in the now-exiled opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was shot dead on Tuesday evening in Bangkok, Thailand. The 74-year-old was attacked shortly after arriving in the city on a bus from Siem Reap, traveling with his French wife and Cambodian uncle.
The CNRP expressed deep shock and sadness over the incident, labeling it a “brutal and inhumane shooting.” Lim, who held dual Cambodian and French citizenship had continued to live in Cambodia even as many opposition politicians fled the country due to increasing threats from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) under former Prime Minister Hun Sen. In 2017, the CNRP was dissolved by the Cambodian Supreme Court, which led to a ban on its political activities.
In its statement, the CNRP condemned Lim Kimya’s killing as an “assassination” and described it as a serious threat to political freedom. The party called for Thai authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the murder.
Thai authorities are actively searching for the gunman who reportedly escaped on a motorbike after the shooting. Human rights organizations have joined the call for a comprehensive investigation. Human Rights Watch’s Asia Director, Elaine Pearson, noted that this “cold-blooded killing” sends a chilling message to Cambodian political activists that safety is not guaranteed, even in exile.
Phil Robertson, director of the Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates (AHRLA) stated that the murder exhibits “all the hallmarks of a political assassination.” He warned that this act of violence could severely intimidate the many Cambodian opposition figures, NGO activists and human rights defenders seeking refuge in Thailand from ongoing political repression in Cambodia, particularly under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet, who succeeded his father in August 2023.
