Cambodia's Supreme Court Upholds Defamation Ruling Against Land Activist

Phnom Penh: On the morning of September 21, the Supreme Court held a hearing to announce its ruling on the appeal filed by Ms. Eab Tang, a land activist from Koh Kong province, regarding a public defamation charge stemming from her social media activity in 2021. The case arose after Ms. Tang posted comments on her Facebook account in August 2021, linking the image and name of Oknha Heng Huy, CEO of Heng Huy Agriculture Group, to a land dispute in Koh Kong province. This social media post led to Ms. Tang facing accusations of public defamation by the plaintiff. During the pronouncement of the verdict on the morning of September 21, Presiding Judge Tang Sunlay of the Supreme Court's Council of Judges issued the final decision, upholding the ruling of the Preah Sihanouk Court of Appeal and ordering the convicted Ms. Eab Tang to pay 100,000 Riels, approximately $25, in moral damages to the plaintiff. It is noteworthy that the Koh Kong Provincial Court, in April 2024, had sentenced Ms. Tang for public defamation and fined her 5 million Riels. Ms. Tang appealed, and the Preah Sihanouk Court of Appeal in 2025 upheld the provincial court's verdict but reduced the fine from 5 million Riels to 200,000 Riels (approximately $50). However, the accused remained dissatisfied and continued to protest to the Supreme Court, claiming she did not commit the alleged acts. The Supreme Court then returned the case file to the Preah Sihanouk Court of Appeal for retrial. The Preah Sihanouk Court of Appeal retried the case and decided to further reduce the fine from 200,000 Riels (approximately $50) to 100,000 Riels (approximately $25). Yet, Ms. Eab Tang was still not satisfied and proceeded to file a second appeal to the Supreme Court. All rights reserved by CEN.