Imprisoned Boeung Kak lake activist Yorm Bopha was transferred from Prey Sar prison to correctional centre Police Judiciare (PJ) prison on Friday, her husband, Lous Sakhorn, said yesterday.

“We were allowed to have lunch with her today,” he said, explaining that he had visited her with their son and five fellow village representatives.

One of them, Heng Mom, said she hoped Bopha’s transfer was a sign she would be released with other prisoners on King Norodom Sihamoni’s birthday this week.

A prison official said Bopha’s transfer had been due to overcrowd­ing, but added that other prison­ers had been trans­ferred to PJ, at municipal police headquarters, ahead of the birthday celebrations. Bopha, 29, is serving a three-year prison term for ordering a violent assault, a charge widely derided.