Cambodian court convicts 36 opposition figures in mass trial

Sam Rainsy has lived in France since 2015 to avoid jail on multiple convictions he says are politically motivated. - AFP

PHNOM PENH (AFP): A Cambodian court handed out jail terms Thursday (Dec 22) to 36 opposition figures, including exiled leader Sam Rainsy, in the latest mass trial against opponents of strongman ruler Hun Sen, a rights group and lawyer said.

Rainsy has lived in France since 2015 to avoid jail on multiple convictions he says are politically motivated, including a life sentence handed down in October for allegedly ceding territory to a foreign entity.