Cambodia has banned exiled opposition figurehead Sam Rainsy from running for office for 25 years after he urged people to spoil their ballots at this weekend’s general election.
Sixteen other senior opposition members and activists – who are in self-exile – were also removed from voting lists, banned from running for office for 20 years and fined US$2,500 each, according to documents released on Monday by the National Election Committee (NEC).
Voters head to the polls on Sunday, with Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party running almost unopposed after its main challenger was barred from contesting on a technicality.
