Phnom penh: Senate President Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen affirmed that the 18 Cambodian soldiers detained in Thailand have been considered ‘national martyrs’ since their arrest, which occurred hours after the ceasefire on July 28, 2025.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, speaking at the opening of the 33rd National Congress of Buddhist Monks in Phnom Penh, Hun Sen described the situation as a serious humanitarian issue, emphasizing that these soldiers ‘sacrificed for the nation’ from the moment they were detained.

Hun Sen stated it was evident from the outset that the soldiers were being used as political bargaining chips. He remarked, ‘From the first hours of their detention, it was clear they would be used for some kind of exchange. From that moment, I regarded our brothers as martyrs, because their captivity would inevitably be tied to political conditions.’

The Senate President also criticized the silence of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Vitit Muntarbhorn, a Thai national. ‘Where is international law in this world? The Special Rapporteur has not said a single word,’ he commented.

Hun Sen further noted that Thailand’s failure to return the soldiers as promised on November 12 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.