LIBRARY

27 March 2015

The trial of 11 members, officials, and supporters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court has concluded for the day.

The court denied another bail request for both Ouch Pich Samnang and Tep Narin, while concluding testimony of Ouern Narith and beginning testimony of Khin Chamreun. All defendants will reappear before the Phnom Penh Municipal Court at 8 am on April 20.

CNRP national election candidate for Banteay Meanchey and online radio owner, Meach Sovannara, Official of Public Affairs Department, Ouern Narith, and Chief of Phnom Penh Youths, Khin Chamreun, have all been charged with participating in and leading an insurrectionary movement (Criminal Code articles 456, 457, and 459). CNRP Chbar Ampov council member Sum Puthy, Chbar Ampov district youth leader, Neang Sokhun, Tuol Kork district youth leader San Kimheng, youth members Tep Narin, San Seihak, and An Batham, along with CNRP supporters, Ouk Pich Samnang and Ke Khim, have all been charged with participating in an insurrectionary movement (Criminal Code articles 456 and 457).

17 March 2015

This morning, a group of more than 100 protesters from Boeung Kak, Borei Keila, Thmor Kol and Tuol Sangke communities, including around 60 children and a number of monks, gathered in front of the US embassy to call for the release from prison of their fellow community and family members. The group collected signatures in support of a request for intervention by Michelle Obama in the cases of the imprisoned land rights activists. Michelle Obama will visit Cambodia on March 21 and 22 as part of the Let Girls Learn international education initiative.

The imprisoned activists belong to a group of 19 men and women who were all arrested towards the end of 2014. Eleven of the activists were tried, convicted and sentenced within days of their arrest. The remaining eight are still awaiting their trials and are held in pre-trial detention. All 19 are detained in Prey Sar’s CC1 and CC2 prisons.

8 March 2015

Over 500 activists and monks marched from the Ministry of Women's Affairs to Prey Sar's CC2 prison to call for the release of 11 women land rights activists on International Women’s Day. The peaceful protesters travelled over eight kilometres to call for the release of the 11 women who are among the group of 'Free the 19' activists who have been in prison since late 2014.

Authorities did not block marchers but confiscated two coffins that protestors used to signify the death of rights and justice in Cambodia.

24 February 2015

The trial of 11 Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) members and supporters was due to be held yesterday at 8 am at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. Last Thursday, and at very short notice, lawyers for the 11 were informed that the hearing had been postponed. All have been charged with offences they are alleged to have committed during violence which took place at Freedom Park on July 15, 2014. This is the third time there has been a delay in hearing the criminal case against them. Five of the 11 - Meach Sovannara, Sum Puthy, Tep Narin, Ouk Pich Samnang, and Ke Khim - are among the group of ‘Free the 19’ detainees currently imprisoned in Prey Sar’s Correctional Center 1 and Correctional Center 2 .

23 February 2015

Grassroots activist, Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson from local environmental Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Mother Nature, has been deported from Cambodia on Thai Airways flight TG585, which departed for Bangkok, Thailand, at 8.35 pm this evening. Mr. Gonzalez-Davidson will then board Thai Airways flight TG948 at 00.10 am tonight, bound for Madrid.

The grassroots activist, known for his work in the Areng Valley, Koh Kong province, was arrested and forced into a car near the Phnom Penh night market by government authorities only hours after a warning was issued by Prime Minister Hun Sen during a public speech. More than 100 supporters gathered outside the Department of Immigration where Mr. Gonzalez-Davidson was held since about 2.20 pm this afternoon.

23 February 2015

This afternoon, Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson from local environmental Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Mother Nature, was arrested and forced into a car near the Phnom Penh night market by government authorities only hours after a warning was issued by Prime Minister Hun Sen during a public speech. Mr. Gonzalez-Davidson was arrested shortly after 1 pm and driven in a black car, followed by bodyguards, to the Department of Immigration at around 2.20 pm this afternoon.

Mr. Gonzalez-Davidson has been at the forefront of a campaign by Mother Nature to halt the controversial development of a hydroelectric dam in Areng valley, Koh Kong province. He was denied a visa renewal earlier this month, in what has been a sustained attempt by the government to quash grassroots advocacy and silence dissent.

17 February 2015

We, the undersigned civil society groups, condemn the recent decision to deny a visa renewal for prominent environmental activist Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson. Mr Gonzalez-Davidson has been at the forefront of a campaign by local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Mother Nature, to halt the controversial development of a hydroelectric dam in Areng valley, Koh Kong province.

5 February 2015

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, wish to express serious concern regarding the potential introduction of new measures banning staff of civil society organizations from giving media interviews or making statements deemed to have “insulted” political parties during election periods. Such restrictions would amount to violations of the right to freedom of expression.

26 January 2015

We the undersigned civil society groups condemn the indefensible verdicts issued this morning by the Court of Appeal in the cases of ten land activists and one monk.

26 January 2015

The Court of Appeal has upheld the convictions of two cases concerning 10 wrongfully convicted Beoung Kak Lake (BKL) activists and one Buddhist monk.

In the first case, Tep Vanny’s sentence has been upheld with a reduced fine of $375. Song Srey Leap, Kong Chantha, Phan Chhunreth, Po Chorvy, and Nong Sreng have received reduced sentences of 10 months in prison with a $375 fine. Nget Khun received a reduced sentence of 6 months in prison and a $250 fine.

In the second case, Heng Pich, Im Srey Touch, and Phoung Sopheap all had their convictions upheld with a reduced sentence of 10 months in prison and a fine of $375.Venerable Seung Hai had his conviction and sentence upheld.

14 January 2015

This morning, three alleged members of the Khmer People’s Power Movement (KPPM), Serei Bunlong, Seng Sokmeng and Um Phirun, were convicted of offenses stemming from their activities shortly before the July 2013 National Election. Bunlong and Sokmeng were sentenced to six years in prison and fined $1,250 while Phirun was sentenced to 5 years in prison and received the same fine. All three have had their right to vote rescinded indefinitely.

The three were arrested and detained in Banteay Meanchey Province a month before the July 2013 National Election, following the distribution of watches, radios, DVDs, and t-shirts bearing the KPPM logo and calling for people not to vote in unfair elections. They have been convicted under Criminal Law Article 453 that criminalizes plotting an attack liable to endanger the institutions of the Kingdom of Cambodia or violate the integrity of the national territory, and Law on Election of Members of the National Assembly’s Article 124 that criminalizes the use of force or violence to deter eligible voters from voting.

The KPPM is led by Sourn Serey Ratha, who was also convicted today in absentia. Serey Ratha is a controversial figure in Cambodia who has been labeled a terrorist by the government. This accusation has been used to groundlessly arrest and convict - without evidence and often on the basis of demonstrably false comments made by Ratha - critics of the government, such as radio owner Mam Sonando.

3 January 2015

This morning hundreds of people gathered at the site of last year’s fatal shootings on Veng Sreng Road to remember the dead and missing. Families of the victims and some of those wrongfully imprisoned following the violence spoke to the crowds. Security forces including Brigade 70 and 90 soldiers were visibly patrolling in the area but did not attempt to prevent the gathering.

Supporters then attempted to march to Borei Keila to mark the three-year anniversary of the forced evictions of Borei Keila communities but after marching almost 3km were blocked by over 100 military and riot police who grabbed, shoved and hit some participants. Marchers were allowed to proceed in vehicles only.

1 January 2015

One year on from the state violence of early January 2014 which led to the deaths of at least four men and the hospitalization of dozens, the disappearance of a teenage boy and the wrongful imprisonment of 23 union leaders, activists and workers, we the undersigned civil society organizations condemn the lack of progress made in investigating these human rights violations and in punishing those responsible.

23 December 2014

Approximately 400 people gathered outside the Phnom Penh Municipal Court this morning in support of Venerable Keo Somaly, an activist monk who was being questioned by the public prosecutor over an altercation with another monk on November 13. The prosecutor’s investigation is ongoing and Venerable Somaly has not yet been charged with any offence. Venerable Somaly was one of the monks who recently led peace marchers in the 2014 International Human Rights Day celebrations.

22 December 2014

Eleven officials and supporters of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) have recently been summonsed to appear for trial at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on December 25, 2014, to answer charges of either leading or participating in an “insurrectionary movement.” LICADHO strongly condemns the continued criminal proceedings on these politically motivated allegations and takes this opportunity to release a detailed timeline of events since July 15, 2014, showing the course of criminal proceedings against opposition party members and supporters alongside political negotiations between the ruling Cambodia People’s Party (CPP) and the opposition CNRP.

22 December 2014

The violence that erupted at Freedom Park on July 15, 2014, led to a series of politically orchestrated events at the hand of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). The arrests of various officials from the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), including elected Members of Parliament (MPs), alongside ongoing political negotiations offers clear evidence that the judiciary is firmly within the hands of the CPP, once again raising serious concerns about the legitimacy and independence of Cambodia’s legal system.

15 December 2014

To celebrate International Human Rights Day (IHRD) this year, 600 monks marched alongside land activists, associations, unions, rural and urban residents, and NGOs, on six national roads towards Phnom Penh from December 5 to December 10. This year’s IHRD theme was “Respecting Human Rights Leads to Peace!” For the first time, indigenous communities in Ratanakiri province participated in IHRD by organizing their own march on National Road 7, which began on December 4.

9 December 2014

This morning at Kros village, Samrong commune, Prek Phnov district, Phnom Penh, 150 police, military police, and security guards, have blocked 80 peace marchers along National Road 5 from entering the city.

About 30 security guards in Pou Senchey district are also gathering to block marchers entering Phnom Penh between Kombol commune and Kantouk commune, on National Road 4, while security forces have also been mobilizing to block National Roads 1, 2, and 6.

Marchers from all six national roads are planning to reach pagodas in Phnom Penh this afternoon to sleep overnight before marching to the National Assembly to submit petitions on International Human Rights Day.

8 December 2014

On November 10 and 11, 10 Boeung Kak land rights activists were arrested while staging peaceful protests in Phnom Penh. By November 12, all had been sentenced to a year in prison. The imprisonment of the women occured during a wave of arrests which targeted not only land rights activists but also opposition party members and activist monks. Nineteen of those arrested remain in detention.

This photo album focuses on the 10 female Boeung Kak activists whose struggle for a just resolution to their land dispute has now lasted seven years. For five of them, this is their second prison term.

8 December 2014

On Wednesday, Cambodia will celebrate International Human Rights Day. LICADHO takes this opportunity to recall attention to the 19 men and women who have been wrongfully imprisoned following a recent spate of arrests in Phnom Penh. LICADHO condemns these imprisonments and the continued abuse of the judicial system by the ruling party and well-connected individuals.