The Kingdom’s prison population climbed by more than a percentage point in the month of May alone, according to a senior official.

Chhorn Sanath, director-general of the Ministry of Interior's General Department of Prison (GDP), reported the 1.15 per cent increase rate during a May 31 monthly meeting, according to the DGP.

Although there is no confirmed link, the rapid jump comes as the authorities conduct a series of crackdowns on youth gangs. Following a series of high-profile cases of violence and anti-social behaviour, Prime Minister Hun Manet ordered the suppression of delinquent behaviour on May 23.

From May 23 to June 2, authorities investigated 73 cases involving 478 suspects, with 320 people arrested and placed in pre-trial detention. An additional 158 suspects remain at large, according to Ministry of Justice spokesperson Chin Malin.

The justice ministry has been working to accelerate trials and clear a backlog of cases since 2020, in order trying to reduce overcrowding in prisons.

Malin said the campaign has eased prison congestion and avoided a drastic increase of the number of cases before the courts.

During the monthly meeting, Sanath cited interior minister Sar Sokha, who has emphasised the importance of security in the Kingdom’s prisons. 

The GDP has requested that 200 additional firearms be issued to protect security at the prisons, including 160 rifles and 40 handguns.

Sanath explained that the GDP will work closely with the Royal Police Academy to conduct training, including live shooting at firing ranges or other appropriate locations.

He noted that even an advanced nation like Singapore continues to upgrade the capacity of its prison guards, despite not having had an escape for 25 years.

According to the GDP, as of the end of November 2023, there were more than 42,000 inmates in the Kingdom’s prisons, almost 50 per cent of whom were involved in drug offenses. 

Compared to the end of 2022, the number of inmates had increased by nearly 13 percent, or by more than 4,800 prisoners.

Among them were more than 2,300 minors, nearly 30 pregnant women and 115 young children who lived with their mothers.

As the world celebrated International Children's Day on June 1, local rights group LICADHO released a report calling for the release on bail of minors, pregnant women and mothers with small children, providing they meet certain conditions.

The NGO also called for improvements that will ensure that minors have access to nutritious food, health care, family visits and opportunities for age-appropriate development. 

The statement added that this would not only support the children of inmates, but would reduce the prison population and reduce overcrowding.

Malin explained that the NGOs requests were not in line with domestic or international legal procedures. He added that the detention of minors was based on the law. 

“Unfortunately, custodial sentences for minors are a necessary last resort. Actually, legal action against minors is primarily focused on rehabilitation and education, rather than detention. Therefore, NGO calls not to detain them are not in line with the law,” he said.

“What the ministry has instructed and what the courts have done is based on the laws and regulations that are in force,” he added.