Court keeps opposition figure jailed despite term served

Phnom Penh’s Municipal Court has refused to release Thach Setha, the former vice-president of the opposition Candlelight Party, even though he has completed his prison term and paid his fines, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

Son Chum Chuon, Setha’s defence counsel, explained that his client had fully served two criminal sentences. The first, for issuing a dud cheque, carried 18 months in prison and a fine of 5 million riel (around $1,250), alongside $33,400 in damages to the plaintiff. The second conviction, for incitement offences under Cambodia’s Criminal Code, imposed a three-year term and a fine of 4 million riel.

According to the lawyer, Setha’s detention order ran from April 2023 to April 2026, meaning he had completed the full three-year sentence by 20 April this year. “My client has already served the term of his sentence as per the court’s verdicts. And he has also made payment to the dud cheque plaintiff in the case,” Chum Chuon said. “But the court has not released him.”

On 28 April, the lawyer submitted a formal request to the court urging Setha’s release, but no response has been given.

The case highlights ongoing tensions between Cambodia’s judiciary and opposition figures. Setha, once a senior leader in the Candlelight Party, has faced repeated legal battles that critics say reflect broader political pressures.

Court spokesman Y Rin declined to comment on the matter, leaving Setha’s future uncertain despite his lawyer’s insistence that the law requires his release.

-2026-05-06