Keut Rith

Koeut Rith (កើត រិទ្ធ; born 2 January 1979) is a Cambodian legal expert and the current Minister of Justice. Koeut Rith was born on January 2, 1979, in the last days of the Khmer Rouge regime in the village of Prey Toteung, Prey Chhor District, Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia (then-Central Region, Democratic Kampuchea). In 1999, when Koeut Rith started his law studies in Phnom Penh, Koeut Rith obtained a scholarship allowing him to continue his higher education in France, in Lyon. In 2000, Koeut Rith obtained a bachelor’s degree in private law at the University Lumière Lyon 2, then the following year a master’s degree (Master 1 at the time) with the distinction “Very good” from the same institution. In 2002, he specialized in criminal law and criminal sciences (Master 2) at Lyon 3 university. He began his career as a teacher at the Royal University of Law and Economics where he continued to teach for the French Department of Law until 2016. In 2007, he joined the Cambodian Ministry of Justice, first as Undersecretary of State and then promoted to Secretary of State in 2013. Closely involved in the work of the of compiling the Cambodian Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes in collaboration with French legal advisors, he contributed to the harmonization of law in criminal matters throughout the country. In April 2020, King Norodom Sihamoni issued a royal decree appointing Koeut Rith as Minister of Justice, replacing Ang Vong Vathana, who had held the position for 16 years. In September 2020, Rith criticized union leader Rong Chhun for defamation and misrepresentation of the border issue with the intention of inciting social unrest is illegal and destroys the peace and stability of the country. In January 2021, Rith directed the formation of two committees to begin the process of establishing separate courts for commercial and labour disputes, with the support of human rights advocacy groups. He has publicly expressed his support for Hun Manet as the most fit successor of Hun Sen at the head of the executive government of Cambodia.