Cambodia opposition figure Rong Chhun awaits Supreme Court ruling on incitement conviction
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A prominent Cambodian opposition figure walked out of the Supreme Court on Monday to cheers from hundreds of supporters, expressing hope that judges would toss out his incitement conviction and clear the way for his return to political life.
Rong Chhun, a senior adviser to the Nation Power Party, was convicted last year on charges of inciting social unrest after meeting with villagers displaced by government infrastructure projects. The case drew criticism as part of a broader pattern of legal actions under Prime Minister Hun Manet that rights groups say aim to muzzle dissent.
Now 56, Rong Chhun was handed a four-year prison sentence and barred from running for office and voting. During his trial, he maintained his innocence, insisting he had only posted photos and comments on Facebook about his meeting with the displaced residents.
On Monday morning, some 300 supporters gathered outside the courthouse, chanting “Drop the charges, release Rong Chhun!” and waving signs demanding his freedom. Police blocked off nearby roads with barricades, and several dozen officers were stationed outside the building.
Addressing the crowd, Rong Chhun cited rising tensions between Cambodia and neighboring Thailand, a struggling economy and other national challenges, saying he wanted to promote “national reconciliation and national unity” for Cambodia’s 17 million people.
“I hope the court will grant me freedom and justice so that I can continue to practice politics in the future,” he said.
Rong Chhun walked to the hearing accompanied by supporters, including local and international human rights advocates. “We are not worried about going to prison,” he told the crowd. “We are willing to sacrifice everything and we are determined to use the resources our parents gave us to invest so that Cambodia can achieve true freedom and democracy.”
Incitement charges have long been a tool used by Cambodian authorities against political opponents. This was not Rong Chhun’s first encounter with such allegations. In 2021, he was sentenced to two years on similar charges for spreading what the government called false information about Cambodia’s border with Vietnam after meeting with farmers. An appeals court released him later that same year.
Cambodia’s government insists it upholds the rule of law under an electoral democracy, but opposition parties that pose serious challenges to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party have been dissolved by courts, and their leaders have often faced imprisonment or harassment.
For nearly four decades under former Prime Minister Hun Sen, Cambodia was widely criticized for human rights abuses, including suppressing free speech and assembly. His son, Hun Manet, who was educated in the United States, took over in August 2023, but there have been few signs of political liberalization.
Among those who traveled to show support was Tim Ratha, a 55-year-old vegetable vendor who drove several hours from Siem Reap province. “He has devoted everything to us, he had no wife, no children,” she told The Associated Press.
The Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict on June 19.
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Rising reported from Bangkok