Countless songs of American rappers criticizing the United States government have been released since Hip Hop's infancy. However, a Cambodian rapper has learned that foreign governments do not offer the same leniency that American rappers have enjoyed.
A Cambodian court upheld Kea Sokun's 18-month jail sentence on Wednesday. The rapper was arrested in September 2020 over the lyrics to his songs, "Khmer Land" and "Sad Race." After "Khmer Land" called out Chinese investment in Cambodia, the Cambodian government's suppression of rights, and issues regarding the Cambodian-Vietnamese border, and generating 4 million YouTube views in the process, Sokun was charged with "incitement to commit a felony or cause social unrest."
Following Sokun's father's disappointment in the verdict, the American Bar Association claimed the case is another in a string of activists being silenced for opposing the Cambodian government.
"While Sokun's case raises issues concerning his rights to fair trial and freedom of expression, it is not an aberration in Cambodia," the American Bar Association said in a report. "It is one of many in a recent crackdown on young activists by the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP). In recent years, the Cambodian government has intensified its curtailment of rights and civic freedoms and rapidly escalated its attempts to close civic space."
Kea Sokun has already served nine months of his sentence and will be released in two months. The rest of his sentence will be served in suspension.
Source: Radio Free Asia
