AKP Phnom Penh, November 17, 2025 --

Senate President Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen this morning affirmed that the 18 Cambodian soldiers still detained in Thailand have been considered “national martyrs” since the moment of their arrest, which occurred just hours after the ceasefire took effect at midnight on July 28, 2025.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 33rd National Congress of Buddhist Monks in Phnom Penh, Samdech Techo Hun Sen described the case as a serious humanitarian concern, stressing that these soldiers “sacrificed for the nation” from the instant they were taken into custody.

He said it was evident from the beginning that the detained soldiers were being held as political bargaining chips.

“From the first hours of their detention, it was clear they would be used for some kind of exchange,” he said. “From that moment, I regarded our brothers as martyrs, because their captivity would inevitably be tied to political conditions.”

The Senate President also questioned the silence of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Vitit Muntarbhorn, who is of Thai nationality.

“Where is international law in this world? The Special Rapporteur has not said a single word,” he remarked.

Samdech Techo Hun Sen added that Thailand’s failure to return the soldiers as promised on Nov. 12 further confirmed that the detentions are politically motivated.

“This decision made it clear—they are linking them to border issues and may continue using them in the future,” he said, expressing solidarity with the families of the detained soldiers.

By Heng Panha