human rights defender

Seng Chan Theary

Actions and Campaigns

Urgent support needed

Legal assistance.

HRD's year of birth

1971

HRD's Gender

Woman

Type of HRD

  • Lawyer

HRD's thematic area of engagement

  • Civil and political rights

HRD's geographical origin

Urban

Current Status

In prison (sentenced)

HRD's bio and work

Seng Chan Theary, also known as Theary Seng, is a prominent Cambodian-American human rights activist and lawyer. She holds a Bachelor of Science from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of Michigan Law School. Theary Seng has been deeply involved in human rights advocacy. She served as the executive director of the Centre for Social Development and the founding director of the Center for Cambodian Civic Education (CIVICUS Cambodia). She is known for her outspoken criticism of the Cambodian government. Her activism has led to her being a high-profile figure in the fight for democratic reforms in Cambodia. In June 2022, she was sentenced to six years in prison on charges of treason and incitement, a conviction widely condemned by human rights groups and the international community. https://www.thearyseng.com/biography

Detained since

Jun 14, 2022

Charge(s)

  • Creating disturbances
  • Treason

Sentence

6 years imprisonment

Latitude: 11.557900560316286

Longitude: 104.73238975595758

Geolocation of detention

Country or area of detention

Region of detention

  • Asia: South-eastern Asia

Location of detention - City/Town

Phnom Penh

Location of detention - Facility

Correctional Center 2 in Phnom Penh

Recent case update / evolution

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court opened the mass trials against former CNRP’s activists since January 2021 but was postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak. In December 2021, the Phnom Penh court resumed the mass trial against former CNRP officials and political activists, including Chantheary, after a long delay attributed to COVID-19. After the trials were conducted consecutively, on June 14, 2022, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court convicted 51 former CNRP officials and supporters of plotting and incitement under articles 453, 494 and 495 of the Cambodian Criminal Code for allegedly supporting Sam Rainsy's planned return to Cambodia in November 2019. The court sentenced 12 defendants to a prison sentence of eight years, 20 defendants to a five-year prison sentence which was suspended, and 19 defendants to a prison sentence of six years. The court also ordered the arrest of Ms. Seng Theary who was sentenced to six years in prison.

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