The Cambodia National Rescue Party was dissolved by the country’s supreme court at the request of the government’s prime minister after the arrest of opposition leader Kem Sokha for alleged treason.

In a letter on Tuesday, the EU said to the chairman of the National Election Committee that it “does not believe there is a possibility of a credible electoral process”.

EU ambassador to Cambodia George Edgar wrote that since the commune elections “a series of actions has been taken by the authorities against the main opposition party, which won 44.5% of the vote in the 2013 legislative election and 43.8% in the 2017 local elections”.

The EU had pledged €10m to support the 2017 and 2018 elections, including the donation of election equipment.

The bloc has joined the US, which also pulled its aid, while Russia, South Korea, China and Japan are still offering their support for the country’s vote set next July.

Sokha has been accused of conspiring with the US to overthrow the government.