Leader of Cambodian opposition party, Sun Chanthy, has been charged with inciting social disorder, his lawyer announced on Saturday. This is the third major legal action taken this month against critics of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s government. Sun Chanthy, who heads the Nation Power Party, was arrested upon his return from Japan and has been sent to pre-trial detention in Pursat province. If convicted, he could face a prison sentence of six months to two years. Critics have accused Cambodia’s government of using the judicial system to persecute political opponents, despite the government’s claims of promoting the rule of law under an electoral democracy.
Sun Chanthy’s arrest came after he held a meeting in Japan with Cambodian overseas workers, where he called for more freedom for opposition parties and criticized the government for its economic policies. In particular, he spoke out against forcing people into debt while also increasing the nation’s debt to foreign countries. He also criticized the government’s system of issuing special cards to poor families for social welfare, implying that they were distributed based on political affiliation. The Justice Ministry charged him for “twisting information” and misleading the public about the distribution of these cards. Sun Chanthy’s Nation Power Party condemned his arrest as an act of intimidation that threatens the democratic process in Cambodia and called for his immediate release.
Cambodia has faced criticism for its human rights abuses and suppression of freedom of speech under former Prime Minister Hun Sen, who ruled for nearly four decades. His son, Hun Manet, took over last year, but there have been few signs of political liberalization. Sun Chanthy’s detention follows the sentencing of labor union leader Morm Rithy to 18 months in prison for criticizing the arrest of a casino worker on Facebook. The high court also recently upheld a two-year prison sentence for female labor union leader Chhim Sithar, who was charged with incitement during a labor strike at a casino resort in Phnom Penh.
Sun Chanthy was a prominent leader of the former Cambodia National Rescue Party and had close ties to opposition leader Sam Rainsy. Rainsy, who has been in exile since 2016, faced various charges by the government, which his supporters believe are politically motivated. The Cambodia National Rescue Party was dissolved before the 2018 general election, allowing the ruling party to win every seat in the National Assembly. Sun Chanthy joined the Candlelight Party, the successor to the CNRP, before forming the Nation Power Party last year. His arrest reflects the ongoing crackdown on opposition voices in Cambodia, despite claims of upholding democracy and the rule of law.
Critics argue that the Cambodian government is using legal actions to suppress dissent and intimidate political opponents. The targeting of opposition leaders like Sun Chanthy and labor activists like Morm Rithy and Chhim Sithar raises concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in Cambodia. The international community has condemned such actions and called for the release of political prisoners and an end to the persecution of government critics. The government’s use of the judicial system to silence dissenting voices undermines the credibility of Cambodia’s claim to be an electoral democracy, casting a shadow over the country’s political landscape and future prospects for freedom of expression and political participation.
