Cambodia dropped a house arrest order with opposition leader Kem Shokha, 66, after more than two years of prosecuting him for treason.

"Now he can go anywhere in the country," Y Rin, spokesman for the Phnom Penh City Court, said on 10 November. However, Mr. Shokha is still prohibited from leaving Cambodia or participating in political activities due to health problems, according to a court ruling. Pheng Heng, Sokha's lawyer, confirmed that a number of restriction orders were lifted against the client.

Shokha, who co-founded the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), was dissolved because of a plot to overthrow the government. Shokha was arrested in 2017 and taken to a remote prison, then placed under house arrest and banned from contact with the media.

The decision to stop house arrest for Mr. Sokha was made in the context of CNRP exile leader Sam Rainsy is trying to repatriate. Rainsy had planned to fly from Paris, France to Bangkok, Thailand to return to Cambodia on the National Day of 9/11 but failed. On 9/11, he flew to Kuala Lumpur and planned to meet with MPs Malaysia but not sure how to return.

Earlier, female CNRP vice president Mu Sochua was arrested by Malaysia after landing at Kuala Lumpur airport on November 7. Thailand on October 20 refused to allow Ms Mu entry and vowed to "ban" Mr Rainsy.

The Cambodian Defense Ministry on November 4 deployed several soldiers near the Thai border and held several live-fire shooting exercises to prevent Rainsy's repatriation plan. Prime Minister Hun Sen also warned that Rainsy would be arrested as soon as he returned, and urged members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to arrest Rainsy.