Cambodia urges Sweden to halt fighter jet sale to Thailand

Cambodia has urged Sweden to halt the planned sale of advanced Gripen (E/F) fighter jets to Thailand, warning that the deal could fuel further regional tensions and risk endangering civilians along the two countries’ disputed border.

In a letter dated August 28, Keo Ramy, president of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC), appealed to Fredrik Malmberg, director of the Swedish Institute for Human Rights, to review the agreement and ensure Sweden’s arms trade aligns with its longstanding human rights principles.

“Such a sale would not only undermine peace and security but also pose a grave risk of the aircraft being used in acts of aggression against Cambodia, placing civilians in danger and threatening national sovereignty,” the letter said.

The CHRC pointed to past incidents where Thai military aircraft were allegedly deployed in ways that harmed Cambodian civilians, saying any future transfers could embolden further escalation.

Invoking the UN Charter and Geneva Conventions, the committee argued that Sweden has an obligation to avoid enabling potential aggression. “Sweden’s defense partnership with Thailand risks being perceived not as neutral commerce but as an enabling act,” the statement warned.

The committee laid out three requests: that Sweden strongly oppose the fighter jet sale, urge its government to conduct a transparent human rights-based risk assessment before any approval, and support peaceful mechanisms to resolve the border conflict without military escalation.

The letter also raised the issue of 18 Cambodian soldiers currently detained in Thailand, calling for their “immediate and unconditional release and repatriation.”

Cambodia emphasized that its appeal was not only a matter of international law but also one of conscience. “Refraining from arming aggressors is not just a matter of international law, but also a matter of conscience,” the statement read.