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The Justice Ministry said it found no irregularities in the handling of Nation Power Party advisor Rong Chhun’s case following his petition seeking a retrial and restoration of political rights, which Chhun felt is a failure on the ministry’s part to address his constitutional concerns.
In the Justice Ministry’s response to Chhun on Monday, it said decisions by all the courts had been reviewed and that the case trials were “conducted properly with justice implemented in accordance with the law”.
However, the ministry informed Chhun in a letter that he could exercise his right to appeal to the Supreme Court if he found “new facts or evidence to prove his innocence in his case”.
It added that current laws in Cambodia do not contain any provision that allow the ministry to “modify or lift sentences that have been imposed by the court”.
According to Chhun, the clarification does not address the issues he raised regarding the constitution. “So, we can say it is diverted from the answer,” he told a press conference in the capital on Tuesday.
“Three courts could not render justice, so the ministry has the right to review a case that is not in line with the constitution, but their clarification does not directly address what we wanted,” he said.
The Supreme Court in June upheld Chhun’s 2025 conviction for incitement to disturb social order over public comments about online scam operations in Cambodia and the country’s border with Vietnam. It set aside his four-year prison sentence, reduced a lifetime ban on his political rights to five years and placed him under three years of judicial supervision.
Under the supervision order, he is barred from leaving Phnom Penh or attending public gatherings.
Despite the Justice Ministry’s “refusal” to intervene in his case, Chhun said that he will continue petitioning the Royal Palace and legislation bodies, including holding a peaceful gathering to push for a review of his verdict.
Nation Power Party president Chea Mony, echoed Chhun’s disappointment over the ministry’s refusal to address the case, noting that the ministry and judicial system have been criticised by others in the past.
“We all know about that issue, and I have experienced it myself, including journalists who have known what justice is like in Cambodia,” he said.
NGO rights group, Adhoc, operations director Am Sam Ath called for the restoration of civic rights, space and freedoms, including political rights, and rights to vote as stipulated in the Constitution and international human rights standards.
“Besides the legal process, we have seen political dialogue facilitated through requests for pardons. They should also review this case [Rong Chhun’s] in order to end the criticism regarding civic space, as rights and freedoms have been shrinking,” he said.
Kem Sokha, former leader of the now-dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party, received a partial pardon in May which ended his 27-year prison sentence for treason, and lifted his five-year ban on foreign travel but a lifetime ban from politics remains.
