PHNOM PENH: Minister of Interior Sar Sokha visited prisoners in Kandal this week, where he gave advice on how to better their lives and shorten their sentences.

At the Kandal Provincial Prison in Takhmao City on January 10, the Interior Minister encouraged prisoners to take care of their health and maintain discipline in order to receive pardons and sentence commutes. He also advised them to train in vocational skills so that they can earn a living upon their release. He said they must understand their guilt in order to become good citizens for their family and society.

Minister Sar Sokha also inspected the surrounding buildings including the sports center, canteen, vocational training building, and medical office. He paid a visit to the women’s prison and the Detention Center for War Crimes at which infamous Khmer Rouge leader Khieu Samphan is still being held at the age of 92.

The Kandal Provincial Prison has a total of 3,319 inmates, 143 of whom are women. A UN Human Rights Council report issued in 2021 said that Cambodian prisons are woefully overpopulated, operating at 343% capacity.