Leaders of one of Cambodia’s few unbarred opposition parties visited two jailed Candlelight Party members Thursday, in a move they said was previously blocked.

The visit followed an April 28 meeting between three Khmer Will Party (KWP) senators and ruling party leader Hun Sen to discuss “development outlook.”

“This is the first time in three years that the former Candlelight leadership was able to meet our colleagues in prison,” KWP deputy president Son Chhay told reporters after the May 8 visit.

Chhay, a lawmaker since 1993, has belonged to several opposition parties that later became the Candlelight Party, which the National Election Committee disqualified from the 2023 election – a disqualification condemned by international observers.

Chhay, KWP senators Seng Marady and Kong Monika, along with Candlelight members and a lawyer, met former Candlelight vice president Thach Setha, jailed in 2023 for three years for incitement, and Tboung Khmum chief Eng Srouy, sentenced to two years in 2024 on similar charges.

Rights groups and foreign governments have long accused Cambodia’s courts of overreach, using broad incitement laws to silence opposition figures, journalists and activists.

Chhay said 11 coalition members are being held in Phnom Penh’s Prey Sar Prison alongside Setha and Srouy. He added that his party plans to keep engaging with the ruling Cambodian People’s Party to arrange visits with them and other jailed activists, including environmentalists from Mother Nature Cambodia.

Local rights group Licadho says at least 71 people are currently imprisoned across Cambodia on what it says are unfounded charges that characterise their activism or speech as crimes.

“Exercising freedom of expression in a democratic society should not be punishable by imprisonment,” Chhay told reporters outside the prison.

He said Setha is due for release in April next year, while Srouy is expected to be freed within 70 days.

Prey Sar Prison director Nouth Savna said the visit was approved by the court and coordinated with the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Interior, as both defendants are serving final verdicts.

“I don’t know why they weren’t allowed to meet before, but it’s related to court procedure,” he said, adding the prison is upgrading facilities to address chronic overcrowding – a long-standing issue at the site.

Chhay said the meeting focused on prison conditions, morale, and updates on the country’s political situation.

Government spokesperson Pen Bona did not immediately respond for comment.