LIBRARY

4 June 2021

Soldiers fired bullets at land protesters on Thursday in Kandal province, hitting one man in the shoulder, as a group of about 100 Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) soldiers faced off against villagers involved in a land conflict in Kandal province, about five kilometres from Phnom Penh. The injured man remains hospitalised, while some local villagers resumed protesting on Friday morning.

The shooting occurred in Tuol Prich commune, Angk Snuol district, in an area that houses several military bases and outposts and has seen a boom in development in recent years. Villagers reported that the soldiers were from the nearby Thmat Pong military school. Videos of the incident show an excavator digging up land while local villagers try to stop it and block National Road 51. Uniformed soldiers can be seen advancing on the villagers and firing dozens of live rounds from handguns and assault rifles into the air, at the ground, and into the crowd of villagers, hitting one man in the shoulder.

4 June 2021

Bangkok, Paris, Phnom Penh: On the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit, our organizations reiterate our call on the government of Cambodia to determine his fate or whereabouts and deliver justice to his family. We also call on Thai authorities to fully cooperate with their Cambodian counterparts in the search for Wanchalearm and to actively assist Wanchalearm’s family members in their quest for justice.

One year after Wanchalearm’s enforced disappearance, his fate and whereabouts remain unknown. Several United Nations (UN) human rights monitoring bodies have repeatedly called on the Cambodian government to search and locate Wanchalearm. Despite its pledge to find out the truth about Wanchalearm’s “alleged abduction,” the Cambodian government has failed to undertake a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation into his disappearance.

1 June 2021

The government must begin treating children’s rights and well-being as a central issue in its ongoing efforts to contain the pandemic. Children’s lives have been radically altered by the extended closure of all in-person learning and drastic lockdown measures, and more must be done to support and defend their rights and needs.

This Children’s Day, LICADHO is releasing a series of quotes from children and their families whose lives have been impacted by the response to COVID-19. They have decided to share their experiences and detail how measures to contain the pandemic have affected their education, as well as their physical and mental health, particularly for children caught in harsh lockdowns.

1 June 2021

This Children’s Day, LICADHO is releasing a series of quotes from children and their families whose lives have been impacted by the response to COVID-19. They have decided to share their experiences and detail how measures to contain the pandemic have affected their education, as well as their physical and mental health, particularly for children caught in harsh lockdowns.

12 May 2021

As stated above, we, the undersigned people and civil society organizations working to promote women’s human rights and gender equality in the Kingdom of Cambodia are dismayed that relevant authorities failed to take proper and effective measures in accordance with legal principles in cases of sexual gender-based violence and sexual harassment. As a result, justice has not yet been delivered to the victims and survivors. This has seriously impacted the effectiveness of law enforcement in the Kingdom of Cambodia, and serves as a breeding ground for increased violence and sexual harassment against women and girls. The measures taken so far to dismiss and demote powerful officials from their positions do not provide justice for women survivors, and only reinforce the culture of impunity. Perpetrators of domestic violence, sexual harassment and attempted rape must be punished according to the law. It is already distressing that a woman has to live with the harm caused by gender-based violence. When she comes forward and speaks out about those experiences, with the only purpose being to seek justice for herself and other women and girls, she must be supported.

5 May 2021

Three imprisoned youth environmental activists were sentenced by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court this morning to between 18 and 20 months in prison for organising a peaceful one-woman march that intended to highlight authorities’ ongoing filling-in of Phnom Penh’s Boeung Tamok lake and other activism to protect Cambodia’s natural resources.

Activists Long Kunthea and Phuon Keoraksmey, two women who were 22 and 19 years old when they were arrested in September 2020, were sentenced to 18 months in prison for “incitement to commit a felony or disturb social order” under Articles 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code and fined 4 million riel each (about $1,000). The third activist, Thun Ratha, 29, was sentenced to 20 months under the same charges, and he was also fined 4 million riel.

Two additional activists were also sentenced in absentia under the same charges, with warrants issued for their arrest. Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson, a Spanish national and founder of Mother Nature environmental movement, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, while environmental activist Chea Kunthin was sentenced to 18 months. Both were also fined 4 million riel each.

3 May 2021

On the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, we - the undersigned non-governmental organizations – recall that freedom of expression includes the right to a free and independent media as well as the rights to hold opinions and to seek, receive or impart information and ideas of all kinds. The press plays a fundamental role in ensuring a healthy and prosperous democracy. We are, therefore, deeply concerned about the continued deterioration of the media environment in Cambodia and urge the Royal Government of Cambodia (“RGC”) to cease the ongoing harassment of independent media outlets and journalists for exercising their fundamental right to freedom of expression, to end the rampant impunity against attacked and murdered journalists, to immediately repeal repressive legislation undermining fundamental freedoms – including press freedom - and to ensure that any future legislation is drafted in line with Cambodia’s human rights obligations and through a transparent and consultative process with civil society.

17 April 2021

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, are deeply concerned about the heightened risks of gender-based violence that the COVID-19 pandemic poses. We call on all relevant officials of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) to increase their vigilance and take action to prevent all forms of violence against women, children and LGBT+ individuals that may occur during mandatory quarantine and in areas under lockdown.

On 9 April, the RGC put some areas of Phnom Penh in lockdown, including Khan Meanchey, Khan Sen Sok, and Khan Por Senchey. The government also recently decided to place Phnom Penh in lockdown for two weeks effective from midnight on 14 April Lockdown measures similarly began today in several communes of Siem Reap city. All people are request to implement the “3 dos, 3 don’ts” to control of the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

9 April 2021

Understanding your rights as a borrower is important. Watch this video to learn about some of the negative consequences and unethical practices in Cambodia's microfinance and microloan sector.

6 April 2021

We, the undersigned groups, are calling on the government to direct all microfinance institutions (MFIs) and banks in the country to suspend all loan repayments and interest accrual for at least three months in order to give borrowers the opportunity to stay home and stay safe during the current COVID-19 outbreak without needing to fear losing their land or homes if they cannot repay their debt.

11 March 2021

We, the undersigned civil society groups, are dismayed at reports that a police officer faced disciplinary action for posting on her personal Facebook account a picture of herself nursing her baby while in uniform. Sadly, this occurred only a day after International Women’s Day, exemplifying the challenges that must be overcome in order for women’s rights to become a reality in Cambodia.

9 March 2021

This March 8, garment workers, teachers, laborers and farmers from Phnom Penh and five provinces gathered together across Cambodia to celebrate International Women’s Day. Taking care to maintain social distancing measures, check temperatures and wear masks to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, these communities came together to hold local forums and share their experience with the struggles facing women from grassroots communities still fighting to protect their land and their livelihoods.

In Phnom Penh, scores of participants joined in a celebration centered around the theme of “True Democracy Leads to a System of Social Protection and Justice for Women and All”. Accompanied by traditional musicians, a number of union leaders spoke about the challenges facing women in their workforces as well as the broader fight against domestic violence, rising household debt, the ongoing harassment of activists by authorities and the urgent need for social security programs in response to the pandemic.

Not all of these celebrations were allowed to proceed in peace. At least one community faced arbitrary restrictions on the number of participants. Despite the shadow of Cambodia’s latest community outbreak of COVID-19, though, women and the communities who support them continued to demonstrate their commitment to promoting justice, dignity and equality between men and women.

8 March 2021

This International Women’s Day, LICADHO is calling for immediate improvements to the conditions faced by women and girls who are detained in Cambodia’s disastrously overcrowded prison system.

Last month, nine women shared stories with LICADHO about life within Correctional Centre 2 (CC2), the country’s only prison designated for women and children. Five of these women - Sokha, Bopha, Sopheary, Sreyleak, and Chanmony - are currently imprisoned or have recently been released. Their names have been changed to protect their identities. Others are family members of imprisoned women human rights defenders Chhoeun Daravy, Eng Malai, Long Kunthea and Phuon Keoraksmey.

All of these women have faced deplorable prison conditions. Yet rights violations behind bars are avoidable, and the government has a responsibility to urgently resolve this crisis by implementing best-practices from both domestic and international laws and regulations.

8 March 2021

This #IWD2021​, LICADHO is calling for immediate improvements to the grave conditions facing every woman and girl locked in Cambodia's dangerously overcrowded prisons.

Among these women are human rights defenders Chhoeun Daravy, Eng Malai, Long Kunthea and Phuon Keoraksmey. They have tirelessly stood up for the rights of others, but they have been put behind bars in an attempt to stifle their peaceful activism.

7 March 2021

Mother Nature Cambodia activist Phuon Keoraksmey was arrested in September for her peaceful work protecting Cambodia’s natural resources from private greed.

At first, it was hard for Keoraksmey’s mother to support her daughter’s daring activism. Now, she says, she couldn’t be prouder.

7 March 2021

Arrested in September 2020 for planning a one-woman protest to call for the preservation of Phnom Penh’s largest lake, Long Kunthea has been locked in prison for more than 180 days.

Kunthea’s cell is constantly filled with smoke from other detainees. Every day, she struggles even to breathe.

6 March 2021

Last September, Khmer Thavrak youth group member Eng Malai was arrested after attending a non-violent protest demanding justice for Rong Chhun after the union leader’s imprisonment.

In prison, Malai faces a daily struggle with disease, injury and stress.

6 March 2021

In August last year, youth activist Chhoeun Daravy was dragged into a van by plainclothes security after taking part in a peaceful demonstration calling for imprisoned unionist Rong Chhun’s release.

Since her arrest, Daravy has shaved her hair and is boycotting some meals to protest her unjust imprisonment.

19 February 2021

We, the undersigned civil society groups, are seriously concerned about the sub-decree on the establishment of the national internet gateway (NIG) issued on Monday, 16 February, and call on the government to immediately repeal this sub-decree.

9 February 2021

We, the undersigned groups, urge the Ministry of Environment to stop their campaign of harassment against local forestry activists and community members. On Friday morning, local officials working for the Ministry of Environment arrested five forestry activists who were wrapping trees in Buddhist cloth and collecting evidence of widespread illegal logging occurring inside Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary.

The five were detained without charge for three nights in the Kratie provincial police station and environmental department office before being released on Monday morning. The activists were released only after thumb-printing a contract ordering them not to undertake further conservation activities inside the protected area, or to share footage, photos or information with other organisations, without permission from authorities.