SIEM REAP— Labor and political activist Rong Chhun, who was sentenced just a week ago to four years in prison for incitement to disturb social order, has now been denied his application to clear a prior conviction and restore his political rights.

The Phnom Penh Court of Appeal on the morning of May 12 rejected Chhun’s request for rehabilitation stemming from a 2021 conviction for incitement, stating he had failed to provide proof of having paid 400 million riel (approximately $100,000) in compensation to the Cambodia Border Affairs Committee, now known as the State Secretariat of Border Affairs.

Chhun said the court’s decision came as no surprise. “Most of these cases are politically motivated,” he said, adding that rulings involving political, social, and environmental activists often lack professionalism or independence.

He described the rejection as a pretext to demand a 2,000,000 riel (around $500) receipt and further payments toward damages.

“I want to cooperate with the court, but they are not willing to cooperate with me,” said Chhun. “If you ask how I will continue — although I don't have faith in the court — I will keep engaging with it and continue to appeal. It's neither new nor surprising to me, given the current context in our society, which has derailed from the path of democracy, the Constitution, and the 1991 Paris Peace Agreement.”

Chhun had submitted his rehabilitation request in November 2024, after his three-year suspended sentence ended. That conviction dates to July 31, 2020, when he was arrested at his Phnom Penh home following public comments about alleged Vietnamese encroachment on the Cambodia-Vietnam border.

In August 2021, he was sentenced to two years in prison. The Appeal Court later reduced the term to 15 months, suspending the rest under a three-year probation order. He was subsequently released on bail.

In a further blow, the court in April 2025 ordered the forced sale of Chhun’s home in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district to satisfy the still-unsettled compensation.

Just days later, on May 5, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court handed down a new sentence: four years in prison, a $1,000 fine, and permanent removal of his right to vote and run for office, citing his role in inciting public disorder.

Chhun denounced the ruling, calling it a violation of his constitutional rights under Article 31 and Article 32 of the Constitution.

Article 31 states: “Every Khmer citizen shall be equal before the law, enjoying the same rights, freedom and fulfilling the same obligations regardless of race, color, sex, language, religious belief, political tendency, birth origin, social status, wealth or other status… The exercise of such rights and freedom shall be in accordance with the law.”

Article 32 adds: “Every Khmer citizen shall have the right to life, personal freedom, and security.”

“Stripping my political rights for life is very strange,” Chhun said.

“As a social worker who has worked for many years, I need to meet with workers and teachers to amplify their voices. My job is to help the vulnerable,” he added. “Typically, as a politician, I must seek public support and learn about people’s hardships to inform my work and provide solutions. Instead, they accuse me of incitement and causing public disorder.”

Authorities said the recent charges stem from statements he made about land disputes during visits to Boeung Tamok and the Phnom Penh New International Airport, as well as his participation in the inauguration of the Nation Power Party headquarters and an interview with Radio Free Asia regarding a trip to the Vietnam border in the northeast.

“I will discuss with my lawyer whether to appeal. As of now, I haven’t spoken to them yet,” he said. “Everything is happening so quickly. Even my house — they forced me to sell it. Taking my house is like taking away my life,” he added, with a slight laugh.