NagaWorld union leader sentenced to 2 years in prison

The Cambodian union leader has been sentenced for organising the strike against NagaWorld.

Cambodia.- A Cambodian court has handed down a two-year prison sentence to union leader Chhim Sithar for organising the strike against the country’s largest casino, NagaWorld. The strike began in December 2021 to call for the reinstatement of workers who lost their jobs amid cuts made during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In Phnom Penh, hundreds of employees at NagaWorld were abruptly laid off. Sithar advocated for their rights and fought for their reinstatement but faced legal repercussions. She was initially detained in January 2022 during a protest near the casino and she was charged with incitement.

She was detained again on her return from a conference in Australia last November and accused of violating the terms of her release.

Following Sithar’s sentencing, former casino employees staged a protest outside the court, expressing their discontent with the ruling. Three other union leaders received one-year suspended prison sentences, and five received 18-month court monitoring orders.