June 14, 2026
The World Liberty Congress stands in solidarity with Cambodian-American democracy advocate, lawyer, and political prisoner Theary Seng as she marks four years of unjust imprisonment in Cambodia.
On June 14, 2022, Theary Seng was sentenced in a mass political trial on fabricated charges of “conspiracy to commit treason” and “incitement to create social disorder” for nothing more than exercising her fundamental rights to freedom of expression and peaceful political participation. Four years later, she remains behind bars despite international condemnation, a finding by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that her detention is arbitrary and unlawful, and repeated calls from governments, legal experts, and human rights organizations for her release.
Theary’s case is emblematic of the broader assault on democratic freedoms in Cambodia. A survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide, a lawyer, and one of the country’s most prominent advocates for human rights and democratic reform, she has been imprisoned solely for peacefully expressing her views. Her continued detention is a grave violation of international human rights law and a stark reminder of the shrinking space for political opposition and civil society in Cambodia.
The World Liberty Congress is particularly concerned by reports regarding Theary’s deteriorating health. Over the course of her detention, she has undertaken multiple hunger strikes to protest her unjust imprisonment, placing her physical well-being at serious risk. No individual should be forced to endanger their health in order to demand the rights and freedoms guaranteed under international law.
As Cambodia seeks deeper engagement with democratic nations and the international community, meaningful progress cannot be measured solely through diplomatic or economic cooperation. It must also be reflected in respect for fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, and the release of those imprisoned for peacefully exercising their rights.
We call on the Cambodian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Theary Seng and all political prisoners in Cambodia. We further urge democratic governments, including the United States, to place human rights and the freedom of political prisoners at the center of their engagement with Cambodia and to pursue all available diplomatic avenues to secure Theary’s release.
The World Liberty Congress stands with Theary Seng, her family, and all those in Cambodia who continue to struggle peacefully for democracy, justice, and freedom.
Free Theary Seng. Free all political prisoners.
