Cambodian Opposition Leader Jailed in Latest Crackdown

[geovalin]

KT Buth Reaksmey

 

A leading Cambodian opposition figure has been sentenced to four years in prison for “incitement”, in a case widely seen as part of a broader crackdown on dissent under Prime Minister Hun Manet’s government.

 

Rong Chhun, a senior adviser to the Nation Power Party, was convicted on Monday for allegedly stirring social unrest after meeting villagers displaced by major state-backed development projects, including the controversial construction of Phnom Penh’s new international airport. He has also been banned from voting or standing for office.

 

The 56-year-old former union leader denies any wrongdoing, insisting that his only “crime” was posting photos and Facebook comments following meetings with displaced communities. “This is about politics, not the law,” he told reporters after the ruling, vowing to appeal the verdict.

 

His conviction is the latest in a string of legal actions targeting figures linked to Cambodia’s fragmented opposition. Observers from the U.S. Embassy were present in court but offered no immediate comment.

 

Cambodia’s courts have long been accused of being used to silence critics of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), which has dominated the country’s politics for decades. Although Hun Manet, who took over from his father Hun Sen in August 2023, was expected to bring reform, critics say authoritarian tactics remain intact.

 

Rong Chhun previously served a two-year sentence in 2021 for “inciting unrest” over comments about the Cambodian-Vietnamese border. His latest conviction follows a similar sentence handed to Sun Chanthy, president of the Nation Power Party and formerly of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party, in late 2023.

 

With key opposition parties dissolved or blocked from elections on technical grounds, many see the Nation Power Party as a last attempt to mount a legal challenge to CPP rule. Its leaders, however, are facing increasing judicial pressure.

 

After the verdict, Rong Chhun urged his supporters to remain resolute. “Let’s not lose heart. We must all be strong,” he said. “We must hold to a path that is based on the truth.”

 

His appeal is expected within the month — though few expect the courts to side with him.

 

-2025-05-06