Ream Sreypich Rothana calls for justice for murdered environmental activist Chhut Wutty, in Phnom Penh in April 2024.

Ream Sreypich Rothana and Thy Thorn, both vice-presidents of the Khmer Student Intelligent League Association (KSILA), had their request to overturn the extension of their pre-trial detention denied by the Supreme Court this morning. Rothana and Thorn, both 24, were arrested in August 2024 and charged with "plotting" under Article 453 of the Criminal Code. If convicted, the youth activists face up to 10 years in prison.

Rothana and Thorn were charged as part of a widespread crackdown on over 100 people who were accused of expressing dissent or planning protests in response to the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV-DTA) cooperation agreement. The agreement was later scrapped by the government.

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court had ordered the extension of Rothana and Thorn’s pre-trial detention beyond an initial six-month period in February 2025 – a decision that was upheld by the Phnom Penh Appeal Court on 24 March 2025.

KSILA’s president, Koet Saray, is also in prison serving a four-year sentence after his arrest in April 2024 on charges of “incitement” and “repeat misdemeanour offending” brought under Articles 494, 495 and 88 of the Criminal Code, related to his commentary over a violent eviction in Preah Vihear province. Rothana, Thorn, and Saray are among 69 Prisoners of Interest in Cambodia, whose speech or activism has been classified as criminal.