Cambodia Justice Minister Praises Reforms Amid Disciplinary Proceedings Against 33 Judicial Officials

Minister of Justice Keut Rith has lauded the success of the government’s twin judicial reform campaigns. The minister heads the committee formed to oversee both initiatives – one aimed at a reviewing and addressing irregularities within the judiciary, and the other at accelerating the resolution of court cases. The two campaigns were launched in January 2024. Rith chaired a July 21 meeting to review the work of the ministry in the first half of the year. A July 22 ministry statement shared details of the complaints submitted as part of the campaign to review alleged irregularities. During the first six months of 2024, the campaign secretariat received 779 complaints; 320 of them requests to expedite court proceedings, all of which were resolved. The remaining 459 complaints sought reviews of alleged judicial irregularities. Although eight were withdrawn by complainants, 220 were carried over from 2025, leaving 671. As of July 21, 343 cases, or 51.12%, had been reviewed. Authorities identified 20 cases (5.83%) where there were indications that irregularities may have occurred. Of them, 16 cases were subjected to formal inspections, three cases were recommended for retrial, and one involved a transfer of jurisdiction. The 16 formal inspections led to 26 judges and seven prosecutors being referred to the disciplinary council of the Supreme Council of the Magistracy for investigation and possible further action. The committee concluded that court decisions had been made on clear and well-founded legal reasoning in 134 cases, while 183 remained under judicial consideration, although no evidence of irregularities had yet been established. Six cases were referred for mediation. Meanwhile, 108 complaints remain under review by the campaign committee. The ministry noted that the 459 complaints alleging judicial irregularities represented just 0.36% of the 129,137 cases received by courts nationwide during the reporting period. It added that the 20 cases in which potential irregularities were identified accounted for just 0.01% of the national caseload. The ministry said the findings demonstrated the judiciary’s continued efforts to “strengthen the quality and integrity of judicial decision-making”. Courts nationwide handled 81,415 cases, 63.05% of the 129,137 cases received during the first half of the year. Of the total caseload, 65,199 were criminal cases, of which 44,689 cases (68.54%) were processed. The remaining 63,938 were civil cases, with 36,726 cases (57.44%) resolved. The campaign leadership committee praised the performance of courts nationwide, saying the results reflected a strong commitment to resolving cases more efficiently and improving access to justice for the public.