Cambodian Politician Killed in Thailand: A Shocking Event

Former Cambodian lawmaker Lim Kimya was shot and killed in Bangkok. He was a dual citizen of Cambodia and France. A gunman on a motorcycle opened fire as Lim Kimya arrived in the city by bus from Siem Reap with his wife and uncle. Thai police are investigating the motive behind this brazen attack. Lim Kimya, 74, was a member of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP). He was elected to parliament in 2013. The party was later dissolved by court order in 2017, banning many opposition politicians from political activities. Despite the crackdown, Lim Kimya remained committed to politics.

Phil Robertson, director of Asia Human Rights Labour Advocates, called the shooting a political assassination. "This looks like a significant escalation in transnational repression, " he stated. The Cambodian government, however, denied any involvement in Lim Kimya's death. They stressed that what happens in Thailand is the responsibility of the Thai government. The CNRP was once considered a major political rival to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party. Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia for nearly four decades, has been accused of using the legal system to suppress opposition. Many opposition figures were jailed or forced into exile. Lim Kimya did not leave Cambodia after the CNRP's dissolution. Even though he held French citizenship, he chose to stay and continue his political activities. "I will never give up politics, " he told reporters in 2017.

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