Cambodian Supreme Court upholds incitement conviction of opposition politician

By — Sopheng Cheang, Associated Press Sopheng Cheang, Associated Press By — David Rising, Associated Press David Rising, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/cambodian-supreme-court-upholds-incitement-conviction-of-opposition-politician Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Cambodian Supreme Court upholds incitement conviction of opposition politician World Jun 19, 2026 1:28 PM EDT PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia's Supreme Court on Friday upheld the incitement conviction of a prominent opposition politician while suspending the remainder of his sentence, keeping him out of prison but unable to practice politics for years and renewing questions about the government's efforts to quash criticism. The decision against Rong Chhun, a top adviser to the Nation Power Party, was met with anger by some 300 supporters from around the country who had gathered outside the Supreme Court complex in Phnom Penh. "Even though he is not in prison, I'm saddened that his freedom has been restricted and he has become a sub-citizen, meaning he has no right to vote or participate in politics," said Nek Ratha, a 55-year-old from the capital. "The verdict is hard for us to accept because he is not free, and he has done nothing wrong." The 56-year-old had been found guilty last year of inciting social unrest after meeting with villagers displaced by government construction projects, in what was widely seen as one of many legal moves taken by the government of Prime Minister Hun Manet to stifle criticism. Rong Chhun told his supporters the verdict was "completely unfair" and accused the court of following orders of the government rather than the rule of law. "If the powerful leader wants black, the court will paint it black for them," he said. "And if the powerful wants white, the court will paint it white for them." Officials stand guard outside the Phnom Penh Appeal Court ahead of the verdict in the case of opposition leader Kem Sokha, who was convicted of treason and sentenced to 27 years under house arrest in 2023, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, April 30, 2026. Photo by Roun Ry/Reuters. Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said the ruling demonstrates Cambodia's courts "lack of independence from the ruling party." "Hun Manet's government should stop using the courts to silence the political opposition and instead reopen space for parties and civil society groups to operate freely ahead of next year's election," she said. Cambodia's Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra told The Associated Press that it was "not appropriate to characterize a judicial decision as an executive decision." "The Royal Government respects the separation of powers, the independence of the courts, and the rule of law," he said in a written response to a query. "Any party who disagrees with a court ruling should address the matter through the legal remedies available under Cambodian