Cambodia Supreme Court Rejects Bail for Five Mothe | RSS.com
Cambodia’s Supreme Court has rejected a request to release five activists from the environmental group Mother Nature, upholding earlier convictions and ordering that they remain in prison.
At a hearing in Phnom Penh on March 2, 2026, the court reaffirmed verdicts handed down by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, finding the activists guilty of conspiracy to commit treason and insulting the King.
The five activists are Thun Ratha, Ly Chandaravuth, Yim Leanghy, Long Kunthea, and Phuon Keoraksmey. They had appealed against a lower court ruling issued in July 2024 and sought to be released.
In that earlier decision, the municipal court sentenced 10 Mother Nature activists to between six and eight years in prison on charges of conspiracy and insulting the monarchy. However, only five are currently in custody.
All five were convicted of conspiracy. Yim Leanghy received an additional conviction for insulting the King.
They are being held in separate prisons across the country. Thun Ratha is detained in Tbong Khmum province. Phuon Keoraksmey is being held in Pursat province. Ly Chandaravuth is detained in Kandal province. Long Kunthea is in Preah Vihear province, and Yim Leanghy is being held in Kampong Speu province.
As of March 3, 2026, they have been imprisoned for 608 days, equivalent to 20 months.
The Supreme Court had reviewed their bail request on February 23, 2026, after they formally appealed the July 2024 ruling and sought provisional release pending further proceedings. The court has now ruled that they will remain in detention.
The case has drawn criticism from international and local rights groups.
On February 25, 2026, the global civil society alliance CIVICUS launched an online campaign titled Stand As My Witness, calling on Cambodian authorities to release the five activists. In a statement posted on social media, the group said the activists had been jailed for peaceful environmental advocacy and argued that the convictions were intended to silence their voices.
CIVICUS urged the government to overturn what it described as unjust convictions.
Meanwhile, the Cambodian human rights organization Licadho said on March 3 that the Mother Nature activists are among 97 people currently imprisoned for exercising their rights. According to the group, those detained include political activists, human rights defenders, environmental campaigners, trade union activists, and social media users who have been jailed over their expression.
Cambodian authorities have not publicly responded to the latest criticism. The case continues to be closely watched by rights organizations at home and abroad.
