PHNOM PENH — 1997 · Unsolved Case
The 1997 Phnom Penh Grenade Attack
On 30 March 1997, four grenades were thrown into a peaceful crowd of about 200 people gathered in a park opposite the National Assembly in Phnom Penh, where opposition leader Sam Rainsy was leading a protest against judicial corruption. At least 16 people were killed and nearly 150 injured; among the dead was Rainsy's bodyguard, who shielded him. Rainsy escaped with minor injuries. A 1999 report prepared for the US Senate concluded that members of then Prime Minister Hun Sen's bodyguard unit took part in planning and carrying out the attack. No suspect was ever tried in Cambodia. In France, where Rainsy is a citizen, two former bodyguard commanders were tried in absentia in March 2025; the court postponed its verdict to examine new evidence.
- Date
- 1997
- Place
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Phnom Penh, KH
- Category
- Unsolved Case
- Case Status
- Under Investigation
- Coordinates
- 11.5625, 104.9310 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 30 March 1997Four grenades hit an opposition rally; at least 16 died.
- 1999A US Senate report pointed to the prime minister's bodyguard unit.
- March 2025The verdict in the Paris trial in absentia was postponed.
Sources
- Human Rights Watch — Cambodia: No Justice for Grenade Victims 20 Years On hrw.org ↗
- Radio Free Asia — No justice for victims as Cambodia marks anniversary of deadly grenade attack rfa.org ↗
- VOD English — French Court: 'Sufficient Evidence' of PM Bodyguards' Role in 1997 Grenade Attack vodenglish.news ↗
- Human Rights Watch
- Radio Free Asia
- VOD English
Source grade B: at least one verifiable linked source. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.