Cambodia Rejects UN's Call to Release Environmental Activists
The Cambodian government has refused to release five environmental activists from Mother Nature Cambodia, despite a United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention ruling that their imprisonment is arbitrary. The activists, serving sentences of six to eight years since July 2024, were convicted of plotting against the government and, in one case, insulting the king.
In February 2026, the UN Working Group issued Opinion No. 67/2025, stating the activists' detention lacked legal basis and violated fair trial rights. Cambodia has defended the arrests as lawful, submitting a formal response to the UN on August 4, 2026, though the details remain undisclosed.
International pressure has mounted, with 73 civil society groups in June 2026 demanding the activists' release, highlighting the harsh conditions and impact on their families as part of a broader crackdown on civil society.