PHNOM PENH, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's Supreme Court ordered the dissolution of the country's biggest opposition party on Thursday after its leader Kem Sokha was charged with "treason," according to a verdict.
"The court decided to dissolve the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) and to ban its 118 leaders from politics for five years from the date of this verdict issuance," Supreme Court President Dith Munty pronounced the verdict after a five-hour hearing.
The CNRP dissolution and political bans came after the government arrested CNRP's leader Kem Sokha in early September for plotting the overthrow of the government.
Kem Sokha, 64, was charged last month with treason, a crime that could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted. The charge against Kem Sokha was based on videos from 2013 that showed him telling his supporters in Australia about his plot against the government.
During the hearing, the government's lawyers presented 26 pieces of evidence that proved the CNRP was involved in a plot to topple the government.
According to the verdict, the court said the CNRP did not submit a defensive statement to the court and did not send its lawyers to fight the legal battle.
The verdict said the CNRP's non-participation in the hearing meant that it had confessed to the crime.
