Over 1,800 inmates moved to newly built Phnom Penh prison

Over 1,800 inmates have been moved from Phnom Penh’s historic judicial prison to a new facility, clearing the way for the old site to become a rehabilitation-focused correctional centre.

More than 1,800 detainees were relocated from the aging Phnom Penh Judicial Prison to a newly constructed facility on September 29, according to the General Department of Prisons.

The move involved 1,837 individuals held at the former site, which has long faced criticism for severe overcrowding. The new prison, located in Prateah Lang commune within Kambol district, offers improved capacity and safety standards.

With the transfer complete, the original judicial prison grounds will be repurposed as Correctional Centre 5. This centre is expected to focus on inmate rehabilitation, offering educational opportunities, vocational training, and occupational therapy to support successful reintegration into society after release.

The operation was a coordinated effort involving the National Police, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces’ gendarmerie, and the Phnom Penh municipal authority. It forms part of a broader national initiative to modernize detention infrastructure and ease chronic overcrowding across the country’s correctional system.