Tour Guide, Commune Councillor and Two Others Convicted of Plotting
By LICADHO
23 September 2026
The Phnom Penh Capital Court convicted four Cambodians for plotting this morning and sentenced them each to seven years in prison allegedly over phone conversations and social media posts.
The court convicted Rath Sothy, Am Vong, Suon Bunlor and Pin Poch on Wednesday under Article 453 of the Criminal Code, handing them each a seven-year prison sentence for three separate alleged offences. Sothy, a 54-year-old second deputy commune chief in Battambang’s Anlong Vil commune, was arrested on 11 January 2026 for allegedly talking about the former prime minister in a private phone conversation. In July, Sothy resigned his commune position and apologised to the government; however, the court proceeded to convict him.
Vong, 57, and Bunlor, 64, were arrested on 18 December 2025 in Siem Reap province’s Pouk district for discussing the border conflict with Thailand, again over a private phone call. Vong was a second deputy commune chief for the Cambodia National Rescue Party and Bunlor a party supporter before it was dissolved in 2017. Lastly, Poch, a 48-year-old tour guide working in Siem Reap, was arrested on 14 October 2025 for Facebook posts where he opined about the Gen Z-led protests in Nepal last year and the border conflict.
While Sothy and Poch are being held at Phnom Penh’s Correctional Center 1, Vong is in Pursat Provincial Prison, and Sunlor is in Tbong Khmum prison. Poch and Vong are featured on LICADHO’s Prisoner of Interest page, where an increasing number of Cambodians are facing serious charges like plotting.
© LICADHO
