Cambodia Arrests 16 Over Border Conflict Commentary

Phon Yuth

Cambodian authorities have arrested at least 16 individuals—including journalists, activists, and opposition figures—for expressing views online about the Thai-Cambodia border clashes, sparking fresh concerns over freedom of speech.

According to Human Rights Watch, most detainees face incitement charges under Cambodia’s Criminal Code, carrying up to two years in prison. Three have been charged with treason, which could lead to sentences of up to 15 years. The arrests followed armed skirmishes in late July near the disputed Ta Krabei temple, with both sides blaming each other for the violence.

Among those detained is activist Phon Yuth, arrested on 29 October for Facebook posts criticising the government’s handling of the conflict. Yuth, who uses a wheelchair, has previously reported poor conditions in Cambodian prisons. Journalists have also been targeted: Meas Sara was arrested after livestreaming interviews with displaced villagers, while Phorn Sopheap and Pheap Pheara face conspiracy charges for posting a photo near the border that was later republished by Thai media.

Online celebrity Chheng Sreyrath, known as Love Riya, was charged with “demoralising the military” after stating she would continue buying Thai products despite boycott calls. Several members of the opposition Nation Power Party were also detained for social media posts, including 75-year-old Keo Heang, who criticised recent constitutional amendments allowing the government to revoke citizenship.

Human Rights Watch condemned the crackdown, calling it a misuse of legal provisions to silence dissent. “These wrongful detentions show the Cambodian government’s disregard for free expression,” said Bryony Lau, the organisation’s deputy Asia director.

Since Prime Minister Hun Manet succeeded his father in 2023, treason charges have increasingly been used against critics, including environmentalists, student leaders, and refugees. Rights groups and foreign governments are now urging Cambodia to drop the charges and release those detained for peaceful expression.

The arrests mark a troubling escalation in Cambodia’s long-standing pattern of suppressing dissent, raising fears that political expression—even online—is becoming increasingly perilous.

-2025-11-06