Prisoners dying while incarcerated has increased dramatically, and authorities put the deaths down to the type of inmate

In 2021, 253 inmates died in Cambodian prisons, a huge increase when compared to 2017 when only 100 prisoners died, and has steadily increased since then, or a massive increase in the number of deaths by 232% over five years. The large increase in deaths has been put down to the type of inmate, specifically drug offenders.

According to the summary report on the main achievements of the government in 2020-2021, the total number of detainees in 2021 was 37,612, compared to 28,414 in 2017. In a five-year period, there was an increase in inmate numbers of 71.04%, while in 2021, a total of 16,781 prisoners were released.

A spokesman for the General Department of Prisons Lieutenant General Nuth Savna said yesterday that the increase in the number of detainees nationwide was due to the legal system processing criminals more effectively and the prevention of drug crimes across the community, especially the implementation of court orders to detain the accused.

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