More than 100 unionists, youth activists and opposition members gathered at a Phnom Penh gas station on Thursday where political analyst and rights activist Kem Ley was shot dead nine years ago while drinking his morning coffee.
Supporters laid flowers and photos, and held a Buddhist blessing at the closed-off Caltex station, as police looked on.
The group later continued to Wat Chas pagoda in Chroy Changva district for a traditional ceremony.
Many also renewed calls for justice, saying it has yet to be served.
“Even after nine years, justice has not been delivered to him or his family,” said Khun Tharo, a program manager at the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL).
“Our demand for social justice is rooted in the need to eliminate the culture of impunity,” he said.
Dr. Kem Ley, a prominent political commentator and human rights defender, was gunned down on the morning of July 10, 2016, while drinking coffee at the Caltex station.
The shooter, who called himself “Chuob Samlab” – “Meet to Kill” in Khmer – was chased down and beaten by bystanders before his arrest. He was later identified as Oeuth Ang and claimed he killed Ley over an unpaid debt.
The explanation was rejected by Ley’s family, supporters – and eventually Ang himself. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2017 after a half-day trial widely criticized for failing to meet fair trial standards. He appealed in 2019 but the conviction was later upheld.
Judicial investigators have not implicated any other parties in the killing.
Spokespersons for the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, which handled Ley’s case, could not immediately be reached for comment. Justice Ministry spokesperson Seng Dyna did not respond to a request for comment.
Civil society groups continue to call for an independent Commission of Inquiry into the murder, which many believe was politically motivated.
“As for genuine justice, you can see for yourself whether it has been served or not,” said Dam Sosreyneang, a member of the Cambodian Youth Network who attended the commemoration.
Sosreyneang said Ley had inspired young people to speak out against injustice and raise their voices on national issues.
Tharo, of CENTRAL, said Ley’s legacy still resonates.
“On behalf of the younger generation, we are still carrying on his mission and virtues,” he said.
Soon after the killing, Ley’s wife and children fled Cambodia and were granted asylum in Australia, fearing for their safety.
“Today, we have lost a Khmer hero whom we must continue to remember,” said Vorn Pao, president of the Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association (IDEA), after paying his respects.
“We have never forgotten his heroic words: ‘Wipe your tears and continue the journey,’” he said, calling for renewed national and international investigations into the killing.
