Court in Cambodia finds opposition politician guilty of instigating unrest and prohibits him from participating in politics.
News Flash: Cambodian Court Jails Prominent Opponent
In a move criticized as another blow to democracy, a court in Cambodia convicted Rong Chhun, a top advisor to the opposition Nation Power Party, of incitement and sentenced him to four years in prison. This conviction, handed down on May 5, 2025, also bars Rong from running for office or voting and fines him around $1,000.
Rong Chhun, 56, was found guilty for comments he made on Facebook, which the court deemed as inciting social unrest. According to Rong, he only posted photos with villagers affected by government construction projects like the new Phnom Penh International Airport.
Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Rong asserted that this was not a law enforcement issue but politics. He plans to file an appeal within a month.
In a eerily familiar pattern, incitement charges have been commonly used by the Cambodian authorities against opponents to stifle dissent. Rong himself was previously sentenced for incitement in 2021, a conviction that he served for over a year before being released by an appeals court.
The US Embassy, known for its critique of Cambodia's human rights record, had an observer at the hearing but remained silent on the issue. International human rights organizations and media outlets, however, have consistently spoken out against Cambodia's use of incitement charges to suppress opposition voices and political pluralism.
Cambodia's judicial system has long been accused of being a tool to target critics and political opponents. The government insists it promotes the rule of law under an electoral democracy, but it has dissolved political parties seen as strong contenders to the ruling Cambodian People's Party or imprisoned their leaders.
Rong's conviction follows the incarceration of Sun Chanthy, the president of the Nation Power Party, who was convicted of inciting social disorder and sentenced to two years in 2023. Sun had been a top leader of the former Cambodia National Rescue Party, which was dissolved in 2018 as part of a crackdown on opposition.
Despite the verdict, Rong vowed to continue advocating for the constitution and urged fellow party members to stay resilient.
Additional Context (if relevant)
For more details on Rong Chhun's case, here's a summary:
| Aspect | Details ||-----------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|| Conviction Date | May 5, 2025 || Sentence | 4 years in prison || Financial Penalty | 4 million riel (US $1,000) || Political Rights | Permanently stripped (vote and stand for election) || Legal Basis | Articles 494, 495, 55, 498, and 88 (repeat offender) of Cambodian Criminal Code || Asset Seizure | Home in Phnom Penh (April 2025) || Previous Conviction | 2 years, August 2021 (served 15 months, released on appeal) || Alleged Offense | Incitement (comments on online fraud, land disputes, Cambodia-Vietnam border) || International Response| Criticism from human rights groups and media for suppressing dissent |
- The human rights organizations and media outlets have consistently spoken out against Cambodia's use of incitement charges to suppress opposition voices and political pluralism, as seen in the case of Manet, a top advisor to the opposition Nation Power Party, who was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison for incitement.
- In a eerily familiar pattern, the Cambodian authorities have commonly used incitement charges against opponents to stifle dissent, as seen in the cases of both Manet and General-News like Rong Chhun, who was previously sentenced for incitement in 2021 and served over a year before being released by an appeals court.
- The verdict against Manet, handed down on WhatsApp under the category of politics and crime-and-justice, was criticized as another blow to democracy, with Rong asserting that this was not a law enforcement issue but politics.
- Criticism from international human rights groups and media has been directed towards Cambodia's judicial system, which has long been accused of being a tool to target critics and political opponents, as evidenced by the incarceration of Manet and other opposition leaders like Sun Chanthy.
