Cambodia has been an autocracy ever since Hun seized power in a coup d’état in 1997, but it is apparently looking to change that image. On Monday, the president announced that he would be freeing Kem from house arrest, barely a month after an appeals court upheld the conviction against him – one that carried a 27-year sentence. The move is reportedly an effort to repair frayed ties with the West, as the Southeast Asian country looks to hedge against its long-term ally China.
Hard Numbers
Cambodia seeks to shed autocratic image?
Will Fitzpatrick
By Zac WeiszMay 26, 2026
Zac Weisz
Zac reports on global affairs, covering everything from battles between judicial branches and political leaders, to conflicts in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. With the Trump administration keen to alter the world order, though, there’s a heavy emphasis right now on US politics – an area with which he is intimately familiar. Prior to joining GZERO, Zac was a senior national politics correspondent at National Journal, where he covered the 2024 presidential election from its inception to the dramatic finish, as well as major congressional actions during the Biden administration. Prior to journalism, Zac worked as an economic analyst for Oxford Economics, calculating the impact of various tax policies, and of Britain’s exit from the European Union. Born in London, he currently resides in New York City, where you can find him playing football (the original version) or watching it on television while attempting to cook up a storm.
