Human Rights Watch has urged Japanese A-League star Keisuke Honda to reconsider his recent decision to coach Cambodia's national football team, as he is working with a figure they allege is linked to human rights concerns.
The rights group said Honda is now "linked" with the president of the Football Federation of Cambodia General Sao Sokha.
In addition to the football post, Sokha is the Deputy Supreme Commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, commander of the Royal Khmer Gendarmerie, and a close associate of controversial leader Prime Minister Hun Sen.
"Sao Sokha has admitted to playing a key role in Hun Sen's bloody 1997 coup d'etat as the Commander of the Royal Khmer Gendarmerie," the group said in a letter to Honda.
Keisuke Honda on the sidelines at a Cambodia game. Source: Getty
"The then-Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Human Rights in Cambodia, Thomas Hammarberg, reported that the GRK headquarters had been used to detain, torture and execute political opponents."
Honda plays for the A-League's Melbourne Victory will continue to do so while managing Cambodia. He was a member of the Japanese national team from 2008 until 2018.
Keisuke Honda plays in the A-League. Source: Getty
In a statement, Asia director of Human Rights Watch Brad Adams said, "seeing a photo of Keisuke Honda with ... Sokha in August at a news conference was shocking".
SBS News has contacted Melbourne Victory for comment.
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