Six Cambodian activists, charged with treason for criticizing their government on Facebook, have been deported from Thailand to face trial in Cambodia, according to a pro-democracy group. The Khmer Movement for Democracy, an organization led by opposition figures in exile, condemned the deportation, warning that the activists will likely endure “inhuman and degrading treatment” in Cambodia’s overcrowded prisons.
Rights groups accuse both Thailand and Cambodia of an unspoken agreement to return political dissidents to their home countries. The six activists—Pen Chan Sangkream, Hong An, Mean Chanthon, Yin Chanthou, Soeung Khunthea, and Vorn Chanratana—are linked to the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), an opposition party that was disbanded before the 2018 election as part of a broader government crackdown. In that election, the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) won every seat in the National Assembly, ensuring the continued rule of Hun Sen, who governed Cambodia for nearly four decades. In 2023, he stepped down, handing over the leadership to his son, Hun Manet, who was elected prime minister in a highly criticized election widely deemed neither free nor fair.
The activists were charged in August by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court with treason for their online remarks opposing Cambodia’s involvement in a regional development agreement with Laos and Vietnam. The agreement, known as the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV-DTA), was signed in 1999 and updated in 2004 to promote trade and migration in the region. Critics have accused the deal of undermining Cambodian sovereignty by favoring foreign interests, particularly Vietnam. This has stirred nationalist sentiments in Cambodia due to historical tensions with Vietnam.
In August, nearly 100 people were arrested in Cambodia during protests against the agreement. Hun Manet defended the arrests, arguing that the government must maintain public order and security. He accused protesters of attempting to destabilize the government. Although Cambodia withdrew from the CLV-DTA in September, the charges against the activists remain.
