Cambodia charges two men for protests over frozen Huione Group accounts

Two men in Cambodia have been charged with inciting unrest after organising protests over frozen accounts linked to Huione Group. The demonstrations followed the collapse of the company’s digital payment platform, H-Pay, which left users unable to access their funds since December. Authorities arrested the pair during a rally outside the National Bank of Cambodia. Suon Sovanthai and Vath Makara were taken into custody after leading a protest demanding the release of funds held in H-Pay accounts. They now face charges of incitement to cause serious unrest and obstruction of public traffic. Investigators claim the men created a Telegram group with 1,200 alleged Huione account holders to coordinate illegal demonstrations. Protesters were reportedly paid 25,000 riel (around six dollars) each to join the rallies.

The National Bank of Cambodia had previously revoked Huione’s business licences and directed creditors to seek recovery through courts or a liquidator. Meanwhile, the US government accused Huione of laundering money for transnational criminal groups involved in scams. The company’s former chairman, Li Xiong, was extradited to China on suspicion of multiple crimes tied to a gambling and fraud syndicate.

Protesters insist they have no connection to Huione’s alleged crimes but remain unable to withdraw their deposited assets. The arrests come as authorities clamp down on unrest linked to Huione’s financial collapse. With accounts still frozen and legal options limited, affected users face ongoing uncertainty. The case highlights the broader fallout from the company’s alleged involvement in criminal activities.