"Funds Raised to Help Koet Saray, UN Calls For End To Prosecution of Human Rights Activists", 24 April 2024

The Khmer Students Intelligent League Association (KSILA) is raising funds from philanthropists to help their president Koet Saray, who was detained for the second time after visiting villagers in a land dispute in Srayong commune, Kulen district, Preah Vihear province.

Koet Yi, 35, sister of Koet Saray, told … that she visited her brother following his detention and plans to visit him again ...

Yi opined that the arrest of her brother for the second time was an attempt to discourage other activists from expressing their views and serving the public…

“I don’t think he is at fault, [he] was just telling the truth to protect the people,” Yi said. “[The arrests] are intended to demoralize the next generation.”…

Yi added that the expenditure for Saray in the prison has doubled due to high costs and the family could not afford it, so she launched a public fundraising campaign…

Yim Leanghy, an environmental activist, told … that Saray’s condition in prison has become difficult as he required large sums of money to buy supplies and food as he could not eat the meals in the prison…

Meanwhile, UN Human Rights experts urged Cambodia to end all acts of harassment and prosecution against human rights defenders and civil society activists, and let them freely exercise their civil and political rights…

Meanwhile, environmental activist Leanghy believes that Saray’s arrest does only suppress his freedom, but paints a picture that the authority may not want the public to concern itself about social issues…