Exiled government critic’s father arrested on drug charges in Cambodia

The father of a prominent government critic Sorn Dara has been detained on possible drug-related charges more than a year after Senate President Hun Sen publicly threatened his family, Sorn Dara said on Facebook on Thursday.

The father, retired senior military officer Sok Sunnareth, was arrested on Wednesday by military forces in southern Kampong Speu province, according to Sorn Dara.

A family member who asked for anonymity for security purposes, confirmed the arrest in a brief interview with Radio Free Asia on Thursday.

The 70-year-old is being held in Kampong Speu Provincial Prison, the relative said. RFA was unable to reach provincial authorities on Thursday.

Thousands of viewers watch Sorn Dara’s talk shows on Facebook during which he has routinely attacked Hun Sen. Sorn Dara lives in exile in France and has sought asylum there.

His political commentary prompted then-Prime Minister Hun Sen in May 2023 to threaten to fire Sorn Dara’s relatives from their government jobs

“You want to try me if your parents don’t teach you lessons. I will fire your parents – including your relatives – from their jobs,” he said at a graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh.

“You are so rude. I will invite your father and your sister-in-law to learn some lessons and don’t complain that I am taking your relatives as hostages,” an apparent reference to firing them.

At the time of Hun Sen’s comments, Sok Sunnareth was an army colonel and the deputy chief of staff of the Kampong Speu Provincial Operations Area. He’s also a longtime supporter of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, or CPP.

Sorn Dara’s sister-in-law works at the Ministry of Interior.

‘I have no intention or hate’

Sorn Dara’s parents appeared in a short video in February 2023 that was posted by the pro-government Fresh News, saying they had severed ties with their son. Sok Sunnareth publicly implored his son on Feb. 22 to stop criticizing Hun Sen and his government.

Sorn Dara is a former official of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, which was dissolved by the country’s Supreme Court in November 2017. He said his father disowned him that same year because he had refused to join the CPP.

Sorn Dara has continued to criticize Hun Sen and the government on his Facebook live show. He said on Thursday that he cut contact with his parents long ago, and urged authorities not to punish his father for his comments.

“I would like to reiterate that I have nothing to do with my parents,” he said. “I have no intention or hate for Samdech and the ruling party, CPP.”

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Samdech is an honorific often used to refer to Hun Sen. Sorn Dara added that his father had served loyally in the military.

“I think Hun Sen can consider and have sympathy for him and Samdech should target me instead,” he said.

Hun Sen continues to use hardball political tactics to target critics and opposition activists, said Seng Sary, a Cambodian political analyst who was granted asylum in Australia.

The arrest of Sok Sunnareth is reminiscent of Hay Vanna, a Japan-based overseas activist whose brother was arrested in August while trying to flee the country following similar public threats against Hay Vanna’s family from Hun Sen.

Last month, Hay Vanna apologized to Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet for his role in organizing protests among overseas Cambodian workers in August in Japan, South Korea, Canada and Australia. He also announced that he was joining the CPP.

On the same day, Phnom Penh Municipal Court Judge Yi Sokvouch signed a warrant ordering the release of Hay Vanna’s brother from Phnom Penh’s Prey Sar prison, pending his upcoming trial.

The strategy of targeting a family member was effective for Hun Sen and could also work for him in his effort to quell Sorn Dara, Seng Sary told RFA.

Translated by Yun Samean. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.

This content originally appeared on Radio Free Asia and was authored by RFA Khmer.

This post was originally published on Radio Free.