PHNOM PENH, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on Monday signed a royal decree to grant a pardon to 14 jailed members of the court-dissolved opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).
Under the royal decree, the monarch granted amnesty to convict Meach Sovannara, former CNRP's information chief and 13 other former CNRP members, who were convicted three years ago of causing social chaos.
The pardon was made at the request of Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, the monarch said.
Hun Sen has said that he asked the king to pardon them because of "mercy, not international pressure" and after they wrote a letter to apologize for their mistakes.
The 14 men were arrested in April 2015 on charges of either leading or joining an "insurrection" during a violent protest in 2014.
They were sentenced to between seven and 20 years in prison by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in July 2015.
Last week, the king also granted clemency to jailed former CNRP lawmaker Um Sam An, Sourn Serey Ratha, former president of minor opposition Khmer Power Party, and four land rights activists.
