Cambodia to free all incarcerated mothers

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday that he would request King Norodom Sihamoni to grant pardons to all mothers in prison with their children and incarcerated pregnant women.

"I will request the king to deliver pardons to women with children and pregnant women in prisons before Khmer New Year (in mid-April)," he told a graduation ceremony of 4,415 students at the National University of Management.

"There are only 40 incarcerated mothers in all prisons across the country," he said.

"Don't let pregnant women deliver babies in prisons."

The premier's announcement came after a local rights group Licadho last week released a report, disclosing conditions of the 40 children under four living with their mothers in prison, half of whom were born in detention.

Licadho said for children born to incarcerated mothers, early life behind bars can have devastating physical and psychological consequences. Endi