LIBRARY

31 August 2018

Australian filmmaker James Ricketson was found guilty of espionage by Phnom Penh Municipal Court this morning and sentenced to six years in jail.

Despite a lengthy seven-day trial, no credible evidence of spying was produced. The evidence and testimonies also did not show which country he was accused of spying for, although this question was raised by the defence.

The 69 year old was arrested in Phnom Penh in June 2017, shortly after he flew a drone over an opposition party election rally.

24 August 2018

This morning Boeung Kak Lake activist Tep Vanny and five other members of the community were found guilty of making a “death threat” against a former community member. They were each given six-month suspended sentences. Another charge of “public insult” was dropped by Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

The case was revived in late 2016, despite the plaintiff, Ly Mom, having dropped her March 2012 complaint in October 2016.

The trial of Tep Vanny, Nget Khun, Cheang Leap, Kong Chantha, Tol Sreypov and Heng Mom began in July 2017 but was suspended by the judge when prosecution witnesses failed to appear in court.

15 August 2018

Phnom Penh communities will hold a religious ceremony and candlelight vigil this evening in Boeung Kak to mark two years since the prominent land activist and human rights defender Tep Vanny was imprisoned.

Tep Vanny was arrested on 15 August 2016 and charged during a peaceful protest supporting five jailed human rights defenders. She was subsequently found guilty of “insulting a public official” and sentenced to six days in prison. While she was detained, three long dormant cases related to other peaceful protests were reactivated.

The single mother of two is currently serving a 30 month sentence. This evening's ceremony will mark her two years in jail and call for her release.

14 August 2018

Prominent land right activist Tep Vanny has been at the forefront of her community’s fight against forced evictions and rights violations in Phnom Penh’s Boeung Kak Lake neighbourhood. Her dogged determination has made her a powerful advocate for justice, not only for the upheaval faced by her own community but for all Cambodians.

Cambodian authorities shut down Vanny’s activism two years ago and have kept her behind bars since then on a series of trumped-up charges and convictions in trials devoid of any credible evidence. She is serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence at Phnom Penh’s infamous Prey Sar prison, also known as Correctional Center 2 (CC2).

14 August 2018

Land activist and human rights defender Tep Vanny has been unjustly detained for two years as of tomorrow, for defending the rights of the Boeung Kak Lake community and her fellow Cambodians. We, the undersigned communities and civil society organisations, condemn her ongoing imprisonment and call on the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Tep Vanny, drop all dormant criminal charges and overturn any convictions against her, so that she may return to her family and community.

Tep Vanny has fought tirelessly to protect the rights of members of her community following their forced eviction from their homes on Boeung Kak Lake, Phnom Penh, but also those of fellow human rights defenders campaigning for separate causes. As long as she is behind bars, Tep Vanny is prevented from carrying out her peaceful and valuable work.

13 July 2018

This morning, the Supreme Court upheld the convictions of Sun Mala, Try Sovikea and Sim Samnang, three former activists with the now-disbanded environmental NGO Mother Nature. The activists were arrested almost three years ago, on 17 August 2015, amid a campaign calling for an end to allegedly unlawful and destructive sand dredging in Koh Kong.

The activists originally stood trial in Koh Kong as perpetrators charged under Article 424 of the Criminal Code for allegedly threatening to cause destruction, defacement or damage to property. But the trial judge altered the charges at the last minute to convict them as masterminds behind the offence, a verdict later upheld by the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court hearing last Friday further violated fair trial rights, as the burden of proof was reversed and no evidence was presented by the prosecution.

The Supreme Court’s decision upholds their 18 month sentence, around eight of which are suspended. This puts the three activists at risk of re-imprisonment for the remainder of their sentences, if they are convicted of any other offence in the next five years. They were also ordered to pay 100 million riel ($25,000) compensation and a two million riel ($500) fine. Under Cambodian law, failure to pay fines and compensation can result in further imprisonment.

27 June 2018

This morning, around 200 villagers representing 317 families affected by land disputes related to sugar land concessions in Chi Kha Leu, Chi Kha Kraom, Dang Peng and Kandoul communes, Koh Kong province marched through Phnom Penh to demand land and compensation. They are currently being blocked by security forces on Sihanouk Boulevard.

Yesterday, the villagers were forced to walk part of the way from Koh Kong to Phnom Penh after being blocked by police and military police led by the Koh Kong deputy governor. They arrived at the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC) yesterday evening, when community representatives met with representatives from the ministry before walking to Samaki Raingsey pagoda where they stayed overnight.

This is the third time that the villagers have been blocked in their efforts to reach the ministry. On 5 June, members of the communities had their vans stopped in Koh Kong by police and were forced to walk for hours through heavy rain towards the capital. On this occasion, after protesting in front of the Ministry of Land, officials promised some families monetary compensation and land by 20 June 2018. Last month, around 200 people from these communities were blocked and violently shoved by security forces in Phnom Penh as they attempted to walk from Samakki Raingsey pagoda to the MLMUPC. Many villagers were carrying babies and small children.

8 June 2018

We, the undersigned civil society groups, express grave concern regarding the latest government decision to heighten state surveillance, censorship and criminalisation of online expression in Cambodia, in contravention of constitutional and international human rights guarantees. On 28 May 2018, the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Information and Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications issued an inter-ministerial prakas on website and social media control which became public this week.

This ministerial order threatens the privacy rights and freedom of expression of every single internet and social media user in Cambodia and further diminishes the limited space left for public debate following months of attacks on media freedoms.

5 June 2018

(Updated 14.00 following land ministry meeting)

Despite attempts to prevent them travelling to Phnom Penh, more than 200 villagers from Koh Kong communities seeking compensation for a decade-old land grab rallied outside the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction early on Tuesday morning.

They were met by Koh Kong deputy governor Orn Pheareak who asked them to return to their province to discuss a solution. Community representatives also met land ministry officials and were given a letter pledging to measure land for 585 families by 20 June 2018.

4 June 2018

Police have attempted to block about 300 villagers from Koh Kong province from travelling to Phnom Penh to demand compensation for a decade-old land grab. The police, led by a District Deputy Governor, stopped the communities’ buses in Sre Ambel district early on Monday morning.

Instead the community groups set out on foot, determined to make the 150 km trip to the capital. Along the way, they have encountered military police forces and have been pressured by authorities to return to their province.

The communities from Chi Kha Leu, Chi Kha Kraom, Dang Peng and Kandoul communes have petitioned the ministry and provincial authorities for over a decade for compensation for land they lost to two Economic Land Concessions linked to the Thai sugar company KSL and ruling party Senator Ly Yong Phat.

31 May 2018

Former Radio Free Asia (RFA) journalists Yeang Sothearin and Uon Chhin were interviewed by an investigating judge at Phnom Penh Municipal Court today on charges brought under the Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation.

The two men worked for RFA until the media outlet shut its Phnom Penh Bureau in September 2017, citing government repression and the forced closure of its FM radio broadcasts as part of an ongoing crackdown on critical media.

They were arrested and detained on 14 November 2017. Four days later they were charged with treason and sent to pre-trial detention in Phnom Penh's chronically overcrowded Correctional Centre 1 (CC1). The trafficking charges, which are part of a second separate case against the pair, were added later.

18 May 2018

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Villagers from Koh Kong province seeking compensation for a more than decade-old land grab were violently shoved and jostled by security forces this morning as they attempted to walk to the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction. Many were carrying babies and small children when they were attacked.

More than 200 community members petitioned ministry officials on Thursday and stayed at Samakki Raingsey pagoda overnight. When they attempted to walk the 5 km stretch back to the ministry this morning about 40 police and para police blocked and shoved the crowd near the pagoda, in violation of their right to assembly and peaceful protest. After about four hours they were allowed to move, amid a heavy police presence. About a hundred armed police and security guards were stationed near barricades along the route.

17 May 2018

Last week, LICADHO staff discovered a strange phenomenon when trying to access the Phnom Penh Post website. When going to the site, a malicious code impersonating Google (misspelled Gooogle) attempted to trick users into granting full access to their Gmail inboxes to an unknown third party called GTransfers.

LICADHO analysed the code which was hidden within a legitimate script file (theme.js) hosted on the Phnom Penh Post website and forwarded its findings to partners in the region. The tampering with the website was independently confirmed by cyber security experts - including industry leader FireEye - in an ABC article.

16 May 2018

Two former Radio Free Asia (RFA) journalists charged with treason were brought to Phnom Penh Municipal Court today to decide whether their six months in pre-trial detention will be extended or if they will be released (update below).

Under Cambodian law, felony suspects can only be held in pre-trial detention for six months unless a judge rules that a further six month period is necessary for an ongoing investigation. No evidence substantiating the charges has been made public.

At a bail hearing in March, Presiding Judge Khim Pon said an investigation was still underway and that releasing the men could result in “serious damage”.

10 May 2018

This morning the Court of Appeal upheld the convictions of 11 CNRP officials and supporters convicted of insurrection offences related to a demonstration marred by clashes between para-police and demonstrators on 15 July 2014. The verdict, delivered in just three minutes, upheld prison sentences of between seven and 20 years.

The verdict followed a protracted appeal process that first began in 2016 and was concluded by three days of hearings between 23 and 25 April this year. During these hearings live testimony was extremely limited. The plaintiffs were unable to identify the defendants as perpetrators and admitted other individuals had in fact written at least some of the original complaints.

Additional and virtually identical statements from almost 40 absent members of the Daun Penh para-police were read on to the record, which prevented any cross-examination by defence lawyers.

9 May 2018

We, the undersigned civil society groups, condemn the latest blow to press freedom in Cambodia, with the opaque sale of The Phnom Penh Post, and the new owner’s immediate interference in the paper’s editorial independence, which compelled 13 senior staff and reporters to resign and led to the sacking of the paper’s Editor-in-Chief.

This is just the latest in a series of attacks which have devastated Cambodia’s media landscape since mid-2017. The Phnom Penh Post was Cambodia’s last remaining independent English-Khmer language daily, and its change of ownership raises serious questions about the paper’s continued independence.

2 May 2018

Close to a thousand workers and trades unionists celebrated International Labour Day around Cambodia on 1 May 2018 despite restrictions on public gatherings and a ban on the traditionally held march in the capital.

A large area around the National Assembly was cordoned by mixed police forces and the rally in the capital was closely monitored.

Other events in Cambodian provinces were also low key and closely watched by authorities.

1 May 2018

Workers and trade unions celebrated International Labour Day around Cambodia today despite restrictions on public gatherings and a ban on the traditionally held march in the capital. A large area around the National Assembly was cordoned off and guarded by mixed police forces.

A far smaller group than previous years rallied outside the Council for the Development of Cambodia under close surveillance from security forces. More than 600 workers, mainly from the garment and construction industry, held placards calling for workers rights, an end to harassment of trades unions and increased building site safety. Citing security concerns, Phnom Penh Municipality denied the organisers, the Cambodian Labour Confederation (CLC) and their members, the right to march to the National Assembly.

Instead CLC union leaders delivered speeches on the theme of "Challenges of Trade Union Law Enforcement" calling for protection of workers’ rights and an end to union harassment. Several other smaller trades union groups delivered petitions to the Ministry of Labour and the National Assembly. Other events took place around the country in Ratanakiri, Kampot, Kampong Speu and Kampong Chhnang.

19 April 2018

The Appeal Court rejected a bail request appeal today by two former Radio Free Asia (RFA) journalists Yeang Sothearin and Uon Chhin. It was the second bail application by the two men who have been held in pre-trial detention on treason charges since 18 November 2017. The court justified the rejection by claiming they could attempt to flee.

Sothearin and Chhin were arrested on 14 November 2017 and charged under Article 445 of the Criminal Code which covers providing information to foreign states or agents which can “undermine national defence”. No evidence to support the charges has been made public.

The reporters worked for RFA’s Khmer language service until the US-funded media outlet shut its Phnom Penh Bureau on 12 September 2017, citing government repression and the forced closure of its FM radio broadcasts.

12 April 2018

Phnom Penh municipal court postponed the trial today of Deborah Krisher-Steele, publisher of the now defunct Cambodia Daily newspaper, who is charged with “public defamation”.

The charge was brought by the General Department of Taxation following comments accusing the authority of disclosing confidential information about a massive tax bill. The newspaper closed its office in Cambodia and laid off staff on 4 September 2017, after receiving the disputed US$6.3 million bill.

Today's adjournment was the second since the trial opened. Judge Seng Leang said the latest delay was needed due to the complexity of the case and to consider a defense request to summon a Fresh News staffer as witness.