PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — A prominent Cambodian opposition politician emerged Monday from his Supreme Court appeal to a crowd of cheering supporters, telling them he was anxious for judges to overturn his incitement conviction so that he could get back into politics.
Rong Chhun, a top adviser to the Nation Power Party, was found guilty last year of inciting social unrest after he met villagers displaced by government construction projects. His conviction was seen as one of many legal moves taken by the government of Prime Minister Hun Manet to stifle criticism.
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Security guards barricade hand-in-hand for protecting Rong Chhun, a prominent Cambodian opposition politician, back left, as he walks together with his supporters through a public park after a Supreme Court hearing in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
A security guard in civil uniform, right, guides Rong Chhun, a prominent Cambodian opposition politician, center, as he leaves a Supreme Court hearing in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Supporters of Rong Chhun, a prominent Cambodian opposition politician, shout slogans outside the Supreme Court in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Rong Chhun, a prominent Cambodian opposition politician, center, interacts with his supporters as he leaves a Supreme Court hearing in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Rong Chhun, a prominent Cambodian opposition politician, gestures to his supporters after a Supreme Court hearing in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
The 56-year-old was sentenced to four years in prison and barred from running for office and from voting. At his trial he had argued his innocence, saying all he had done was post photos of himself with the villagers and comments on Facebook.
He emerged from the morning hearing to a crowd of some 300 supporters chanting “Drop the charges, release Rong Chhun!" and holding signs with slogans calling for his freedom.
He told them that with tensions between Cambodia and neighboring Thailand, a struggling economy and other issues facing the country, he wants to promote “national reconciliation and national unity” for Cambodia's 17 million people.
"I hope the court will grant me freedom and justice so that I can continue to practice politics in the future,” he said.
Roads leading to the court were blocked by several dozen police officers at barricades, and Rong Chhun walked to the hearing accompanied by his supports, including local and international human rights advocates.
“We are not worried about going to prison,” he said. “We are willing to sacrifice everything and we are determined to use the resources our parents gave us to invest so that Cambodia can achieve true freedom and democracy.”
Incitement allegations are frequently used by authorities in Cambodia against opponents.
Rong Chhun was already sentenced to two years on incitement charges in 2021, based on accusations he spread false information about Cambodia’s border with Vietnam after meeting with farmers in the area. He was released later the same year by an appeals court.
Cambodia’s government insists it promotes the rule of law under an electoral democracy, but political parties seen as mounting strong challenges to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party have been dissolved by the courts or had their leaders jailed or harassed.
Under almost four decades of autocratic former Prime Minister Hun Sen, Cambodia was widely criticized for human rights abuses that included suppression of freedom of speech and association. He was succeeded in August 2023 by his American-educated son, Hun Manet, but there have been few signs of political liberalization.
On Monday, Tim Ratha drove several hours from Siem Reap province in the north to the capital, saying she wanted to show her support for Rong Chhun.
“He has devoted everything to us, he had no wife, no children,” the 55-year-old vegetable vendor told The Associated Press.
The Supreme Court's verdict is due June 19.
Rising reported from Bangkok
Security guards barricade hand-in-hand for protecting Rong Chhun, a prominent Cambodian opposition politician, back left, as he walks together with his supporters through a public park after a Supreme Court hearing in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
A security guard in civil uniform, right, guides Rong Chhun, a prominent Cambodian opposition politician, center, as he leaves a Supreme Court hearing in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Supporters of Rong Chhun, a prominent Cambodian opposition politician, shout slogans outside the Supreme Court in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Rong Chhun, a prominent Cambodian opposition politician, center, interacts with his supporters as he leaves a Supreme Court hearing in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Rong Chhun, a prominent Cambodian opposition politician, gestures to his supporters after a Supreme Court hearing in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, June 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)
Leaders at the Group of Seven summit wrap up three days of talks in the French Alps on Wednesday with discussions on the contentious future of artificial intelligence and U.S. dominance of the industry.
U.S. President Donald Trump and other national leaders are closing the formal talks of the leading industrial nations in the lakeside resort of Evian-les-Bains with a session on the future of artificial intelligence and another on fostering economic growth.
The heads of several leading AI companies will attend the discussions, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.
Trump plans to stop outside Paris for a glitzy dinner at the Palace of Versailles before he jets back to Washington on Wednesday.
The G7 leaders spent the bulk of the meetings Tuesday discussing the war between Russia and Ukraine and a tentative deal to end the Iran war. Trump did not reveal details of the agreement expected to be signed by the United States and Iran on Friday at a resort on Switzerland’s Lake Lucerne.
The G7 includes France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Guest nations at this summit include Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya, South Korea, Qatar, Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates.
Here is the latest:
That was his opening phrase as he walked in — late — to the first session of the day at the G7 summit.
The room laughed, and Trump grinned. After exchanging niceties with the U.S. president, Macron then got the meeting underway.
G7 leaders were to discuss concerns that China is flooding export markets with subsidized products, unfairly out-competing their own industries and destroying jobs. They gathered for a session focusing on “promoting balanced, shared and sustainable economic growth” alongside partners including leaders of India, South Korea, Kenya and Brazil.
Talks come as China is redirecting its products away from the U.S. tariff wall and toward more open markets in Europe and elsewhere in Asia.
The shift in Chinese trade risks creating a European sequel to the China Shock that wiped out hundreds of thousands of factory jobs in the American heartland in the 2000s. Despite U.S. sanctions, China notched a record global trade surplus last year.
Leaders of France, the UK, Italy, Germany and Canada have gathered for informal talks ahead of a G7 session on global economic imbalances, French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said.
They then joined the meeting involving partners including India, South Korea, Kenya and India.
Keir Starmer says he isn’t sure whether Trump has made a decision about whether to reimpose sanctions on Russian oil.
The British leader says he talked to Trump about the temporary U.S. sanctions waiver.
Starmer told British broadcaster ITV he and Trump had “a very constructive discussion about Ukraine,” but “I don’t know that a decision has been made yet.”
He said G7 leaders shared “a real determination to stand with Ukraine,” including through more sanctions on Russia.
Trump said on Wednesday that he’s delaying Jay Clayton’s nomination to lead the U.S. intelligence community in a bid to force Congress to act on a voter ID bill that currently lacks enough support for passage.
Trump said in a lengthy post on his social media site that he will keep Bill Pulte, a top U.S. housing official, as acting director of national intelligence. Lawmakers in both parties had opposed Trump’s nomination of Pulte, citing his apparent lack of experience in the intelligence field, which essentially forced Trump to turn to Clayton.
Clayton had been set to appear on Wednesday for a Senate confirmation hearing that was fast-tracked because of the lapse of a crucial surveillance program due to bipartisan anger over Trump’s pick of Pulte.
Carney did not get a bilateral meeting with Trump at the summit, despite the free trade agreement between the countries being up for renewal on July 1.
Carney says he had seven or eight discussions with Trump and he expects to have more Wednesday.
He says they discussed a wide range of subjects, from the economy, relations, his birthday, artificial intelligence, Ukraine and Iran.
Canadian prime ministers usually get a bilateral meeting with an American president at G7 summits. And it is a crucial time for talks to potentially renew the free-trade agreement between the two countries and Mexico. Trump said last week that he may not renew the deal.
Macron is the only G7 leader to get a bilateral meeting thus far. Trump met with the leaders of non-G7 countries of Qatar, UAE, Egypt and India.
The expansive palace is where he’ll have dinner with Macron before the flight back to Washington.
At the final day of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, Trump is set to participate in working sessions with his counterparts from France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy and Japan, alongside leaders from some developing nations and tech CEOs.
In between sessions, he’ll hold one-on-one talks with Egypt’s president and India’s prime minister.
Trump is also holding a news conference before the trip to Versailles.
G7 leaders said in a joint statement overnight they would increase military support for Ukraine after recent “progress on the battlefield.”
They also plan to levy harsher sanctions on Russia’s energy sector in the wake of the recent deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
They plan to give more air defense technology including interceptors and grant military production licenses to Ukraine.
Kyiv has sought the permits to construct their own Patriot missiles.
Carney says a tentative deal to end the Iran war could be a game changer in the world.
The Canadian prime minister, speaking on the final day of the summit, said the agreement could have positive effects including the ability to provide additional defensive support in Ukraine.
Carney said here has been a change in tone concerning Ukraine, which was discussed in detail at the summit on Tuesday.
Many countries are vested in making the Iran deal work, he said.
Leaders gathered at the G7 summit issued a joint statement overnight Tuesday on the agreement reached between the U.S. and Iran focused on securing safe passage without tolls in the Persian Gulf.
“We reaffirm that the right of transit passage without restrictions or tolls is the bedrock of international trade,” said the statement of leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Iran floated a similar idea in April to fund reconstruction of areas in the country damaged by war.
The closure of the strait has driven up fuel and fertilizer costs and rattled economies worldwide.
The statement also offered support to a French and British-led naval mission to the Persian Gulf to safeguard ships and remove mines from one of the crucial choke-points in the world’s energy supply chain.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney gave U.S. President Donald Trump a present for his 80th birthday, but said it’s “not gold.”
Trump was “very pleased,” Carney said, adding that he “likes it a lot.”
Carney didn’t specify what the gift was and a spokesperson for the prime minister didn’t immediately know.
Trump is known for his love of gold. An Oval Office makeover at the start of his term included large amounts of fresh gold trim.
Trump and Carney have a positive relationship despite Trump’s previous comments about making Canada the 51st state of the United States.
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, second from left, and Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, second from right, arrive for a group photo at the G7 summit, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Evian-les-Bains, France. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
European Council President Antonio Costa, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and others gather for a group photo at the G7 summit, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Evian-les-Bains, France. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
President Donald Trump helps France's first lady Brigitte Macron up a step as she arrives for a group photo with leaders and their spouses at the G7 summit, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Evian-les-Bains, France. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to attend a musical interlude before a gala dinner as part of the G7 summit, in Evian-les-Bains, France, Tuesday June 16, 2026. (Ludovic MARIN/Pool Photo via AP)
U.S. President Donald Trump walks after posing for a family photo photograph during a gala dinner as part of the G7 summit, in Evian-les-Bains, France, Tuesday June 16, 2026. (Ludovic Marin/Pool Photo via AP)
