Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Activist twins given refugee status: NGO

Activist twins given refugee status: NGO

Brothers Chum Huor and Chum Huot pose for a photo on a plane departing the Kingdom earlier this month. Photo supplied
Brothers Chum Hour and Chum Hout pose for a photo on a plane departing the Kingdom earlier this month. Photo supplied

Activist twins given refugee status: NGO

Two twin activists who fled Cambodia, claiming they feared for their safety, have been granted United Nations refugee status and have applied for asylum in the US, according to one of the brothers and an organisation supporting them.

Chum Hour and Chum Hout left for Thailand in the wake of the July 10 murder of political analyst Kem Ley, who the twins met shortly before his death.

Speaking yesterday, Hout said the pair had received refugee status from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on July 27 and, represented by two lawyers, had applied for asylum in the US and hoped to “leave soon”.

Hout said they had received advice to leave the country from a “big organisation” in the wake of Ley’s shooting, which many believe was politically motivated.

“We are comfortable and happy that IKARE and people in the USA have worked very hard to help,” Hout said of the organisation which is paying for the twin’s shelter and legal representation.

Reached by phone yesterday Kosel Sek, executive director of Minnesota-based IKARE, which works with genocide survivors and helps Cambodian students visit the US, said there was no fixed timeline for the asylum claim.

“The attorney has expressed his optimism that it will be days not weeks or months but it’s a process we’re not in control of,” Sek said, adding his group felt compelled to help the brothers reach safety and “tell their story”.

MOST VIEWED

  • Wing Bank opens new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004

    Wing Bank celebrates first anniversary as commercial bank with launch of brand-new branch. One year since officially launching with a commercial banking licence, Wing Bank on March 14 launched a new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004. The launch was presided over by

  • Girl from Stung Meanchey dump now college grad living in Australia

    After finishing her foundational studies at Trinity College and earning a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Melbourne in 2022, Ron Sophy, a girl who once lived at the Stung Meanchey garbage dump and scavenged for things to sell, is now working at a private

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Wat Phnom hornbills attract tourists, locals

    Thanks to the arrival of a friendly flock of great hornbills, Hour Rithy, a former aviculturist – or raiser of birds – in Kratie province turned Phnom Penh tuk tuk driver, has seen a partial return to his former profession. He has become something of a guide

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one