Cambodian civil society activist and political prisoner Theary Seng, dressed as an apsara dancer, confronts a police officer outside the Phnom Penh Court of First Instance during her trial in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Dec. 7, 2021.
Four years ago, American lawyer and human rights icon Theary Seng was sentenced to six years in Cambodian prison for “conspiracy to commit treason” and “incitement of social disorder.” Her crime? Facebook posts criticizing Hun Sen, Cambodia’s strongman dictator. Charged in a mass trial alongside 60 opposition members, Theary’s trial was rife with human rights and due process abuses. Today, she remains in a cramped cell in Phnom Penh.
Theary’s story is emblematic of Cambodia’s broader authoritarian reality. Amid crackdowns on activists, shuttered independent media, and sham elections, the United States and the international community must act – both for Theary and for all Cambodians fighting for freedom.
Theary is a citizen of both the U.S. and Cambodia who is dedicated to public service. After the Khmer Rouge murdered her parents, she and her siblings escaped to the United States as children. Then, upon graduating from law school, she returned to Cambodia to advocate for survivors of the genocide.
