Thach Setha pictured at a Candlelight Party rally on 3 June 2022, two days before Cambodia's Commune Elections.

The Supreme Court this morning upheld the conviction of the opposition Candlelight Party’s Vice President Thach Setha on the charge of irregular financial payments. Setha, 70, has been imprisoned since January 2023 and was returned to prison to finish his 18-month sentence following the verdict.

Setha is the highest-ranking of the at least 20 Candlelight Party members who are currently imprisoned in Cambodia. Setha’s case arose from a complaint that alleged that he had written five bad cheques in 2019 to repay an outstanding debt to the complainant, Rin Chhay Pawn Shop. The debt was the subject of a previous civil case in which the Appeal Court had ruled in Setha’s favour.

The Phnom Penh Capital Court convicted Setha on 21 September 2023 of irregular financial payments under Article 231 of the Law on Negotiable Instruments and Payment Transactions. This was upheld by the Phnom Penh Appeal Court, and today again upheld in full by the Supreme Court. Setha remains sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay a fine of 3 million riel (around US$750), and must also pay Rin Chhay Pawn Shop the alleged outstanding debt of $33,400 (around 133.6 million riel) and 5 million riel (around $1,250) in compensation.

Setha has been held in pre-trial detention since his arrest in January 2023 regarding this case, with multiple bail requests denied. Setha was also convicted of incitement to discriminate and sentenced to three years in prison in a separate case on 18 October 2023 for a speech that he made to supporters of the former Cambodia National Rescue Party in 2023.