Three Cambodian activists arrested in Thailand will not be deported to their home country, deputy police chief Surachate Hakparn told Reuters on Wednesday. Hakparn said the detainees would be resettled in a third country but will “definitely” not be sent back to Cambodia.
The announcement came during Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet’s visit to Bangkok, where he met with his Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin to strengthen the two countries’ relationship. Thavisin stated the nations would work together to maintain stability, specifically along the border. He said:
I have assured Prime Minister Hun Manet that it is Thailand’s policy not to allow anyone to use Thailand as a platform to interfere in the internal affairs or conduct harmful activities against our neighboring countries. We will strictly enforce our laws and policy in this respect.
Manet expressed his gratitude to Thavisin, re-affirming that the Cambodian government will likewise not interfere with Thai internal politics. Manet said, “This is for the mutual respect [and] mutual benefit of our countries to promote stability and trust and confidence and also for the strengthening of our future relationship together.”
Thai authorities arrested the three human rights activists—Lem Sokha, Phan Phana, and Kung Raiya—with their families on Friday for immigration violations. The activists initially fled to Thailand to avoid political persecution in Cambodia, and various human rights groups criticized the Thai government for detaining the activists in the first place. Manushya Foundation Founder Emilie Palamy Pradichit called the arrests of the individuals and their families “unjust,” especially considering four of the children arrested were under the age of six. “This highlights the harsh reality of transnational repression, where Cambodian and Thai authorities are working hand in hand against these individuals,” Pradichit said.
The Thai government, however, claimed that the individuals were arrested because they violated Thai laws. “[A]ccording to the immigration office, these activists have at the very least breached Thai immigration regulations,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Thailand respects freedom of expression and opinion, but that must comply with Thai law.”
The Cambodian government has a history of arresting critics and banning opposition from holding elected office. This trend has continued since Manet came to power last year as his father’s successor. Manet’s father, Hun Sen, ruled Cambodia for nearly 40 years through the Cambodia People’s Party prior to his son’s takeover. Hun Send imposed strict crackdowns on opposing activists and politicians. In 2023, a report by Freedom House found that Cambodia was “not free,” and the country scored only 24 out of 100 points on its freedom index.
