Rong Chhun’s Fight for Freedom in Cambodia

A Cambodian opposition figure, Rong Chhun, has left the Supreme Court to a cheering crowd that hopes he will be freed from an incitement conviction. The 56‑year‑old adviser to the Nation Power Party was found guilty last year for speaking with villagers displaced by state construction. His sentence of four years in jail and a ban on voting and running for office has been criticized as part of a pattern of legal pressure against critics of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s government. During the morning hearing, about 300 supporters shouted “Drop the charges, release Rong Chhun! ” and waved signs that called for his release. He told them that Cambodia faces tension with Thailand, a weak economy and other challenges, and he wants to promote national reconciliation for the country’s 17 million people. He asked judges to overturn his conviction so he could continue in politics. Police set up barricades on the roads leading to the court, yet Rong Chhun walked in with his supporters and human‑rights advocates. He said he is not afraid of prison; instead, he is ready to sacrifice everything and use his resources for Cambodia’s freedom and democracy.Incitement charges are often used against opposition voices in Cambodia. Rong Chhun had previously been sentenced to two years for allegedly spreading false information about the border with Vietnam after meeting farmers in 2021. An appeals court later released him that same year. The Cambodian government claims it upholds the rule of law, but many parties seen as strong challengers to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party have been dissolved or had their leaders jailed. Under former Prime Minister Hun Sen’s almost four‑decade rule, the country faced widespread criticism for human rights abuses and restrictions on free speech. His son, Hun Manet, took office in August 2023 but has shown little sign of political liberalization. A local vegetable vendor, Tim Ratha, drove from Siem Reap to the capital to support Rong Chhun. She said he had devoted everything to the people, having no wife or children. The Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict on June 19.