LIBRARY

4 February 2016

This morning, the Court of Appeal upheld the convictions of 13 workers charged with aggravated intentional violence, aggravated intentional destruction of property, obstruction and insult. The charges relate to deadly clashes between striking workers and mixed police and military forces – who shot and killed at least four people, leaving scores more injured – on Veng Sreng Road in January 2014.

The appeal hearing, held on January 27, 2016, was conducted in the absence of the defendants and their lawyers, who had been denied a request to delay the hearing in order to inform defendants. Plaintiffs – comprised of mixed police and military police forces – claimed that state forces had used only wooden batons and tear gas during the lethal clampdown, in defiance of witnesses and footage showing their use of live ammunition.

The appeal hearing of 10 further workers and human rights defenders arrested during clashes on January 2, 2014 has been delayed indefinitely. The original trial of all 23, in May 2014, was characterized by a total absence of fair trial rights and a clear lack of judicial impartiality. No one has yet been held accountable to the four deaths, dozens of hospitalisations and one disappearance during the two days of state violence, which ended a period of mass protest by garment workers and pro-opposition party supporters.

25 January 2016

We, the undersigned Cambodian civil society groups, urge US Secretary of State John F. Kerry to call on the Royal Government of Cambodia to commit to upholding human rights and democratic obligations as a condition of strong and prosperous relations with the United States of America. During the Secretary of State's visit to Phnom Penh ahead of the US-ASEAN special summit at Sunnylands we request him to consider the numerous actions of the Cambodian government that clash with the fundamental values of the United States of America and are harmful to the rights of Cambodian citizens and the economic growth of Cambodia.

20 January 2016

Today over 300 protesters from four communes, Kandoul, Chi Kha Leu, Chi Kha Kraom and Dang Peng delivered petitions to their respective commune offices to protest land grabbing by sugar producers in Sre Ambel district. The protest is the latest in a series of actions by the communities since the dispute began in 2006.

The communities delivered the petition to their commune chiefs demanding their support for the return of land and compensation for 753 families after a decade-long dispute with the Thai sugar company KSL. The conflict with the sugar company concerns the land grabbing of over 900 hectares of land and the loss of livelihoods for local families after the companies, at the time co-owned by CPP Senator Ly Yong Phat, were granted adjacent land concessions totaling almost 20,000 hectares.

After delivering the petition to all four commune offices the protesters returned to their homes after setting a two week deadline for the authorities to provide a resolution.

11 January 2016

Today, communities gathered in three provinces across Cambodia to protest forced evictions and call for an end to their land conflicts.

In Kampong Speu, communities from Oral district gathered outside HLH Agriculture Co. on the first of a planned multi-day protest against land grabs perpetrated by the company since 2009. The group, of about 100 community members, plans to continue their demonstration for three more days.

In a separate land protest, about 40 people from Ochheuteal beach community, Spean Chhes community and Kampenh Chas community in Sihanoukville gathered outside the provincial government office to demand a resolution to their land conflicts.

11 January 2016

This audio book contains the edited highlights of a radio show that was originally broadcast during the 2015 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign. The show, titled "Unite against Impunity for Rape in Cambodia" accompanied publication of the report "Getting Away With It: The Treatment of Rape in Cambodia's Justice System" and includes a discussion of the main findings and recommendations of the report as well as an interview with the father of a rape victim.

3 January 2016

This morning, around 300 unionists, garment factory workers, monks, NGO staff and land rights activists gathered for a memorial ceremony on Veng Sreng Road in Phnom Penh where two years ago state security forces shot at striking workers, killing four and injuring many more.

Today’s commemoration went ahead despite heavy-handed policing throughout: around 500 police and security guards attempted to disrupt the gathering by shoving participants, confiscating banners and breaking up groups of people as they congregated. Among the participants were family members of the deceased, and workers and union leaders who were arrested and wrongfully imprisoned following the violence two years ago.

17 December 2015

To celebrate International Human Rights Day (IHRD), about 10,000 people from rural and urban communities participated in 20 marches and events across the country from December 6 to December 10. These were organized by the informal network Friends of December 10th, which includes youth, land communities, associations, farmers, monks, and NGOs.

On December 10, groups peacefully marched from various locations in Phnom Penh toward the Ministry of Justice to demand that the government resolve Cambodia’s land conflict epidemic; reform the judicial system and release human rights defenders and activists; raise the minimum wage and respect labour rights; end state-sponsored violence; and respect freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly. This year’s IHRD theme was ‘Justice’.

9 December 2015

From December 6 to December 10, groups across Cambodia are celebrating the 67th anniversary of IHRD under the theme of ‘Justice’. Join us as we share events across the country and recap on events so far.

9 December 2015

This briefing paper documents a non-exhaustive list of attacks and threats against human rights defenders in 2013 and 2014, as well as three key trends that emerged over the two years: an escalation in state-sponsored violence, the prevalence of human rights defenders silenced by the criminal justice system, and finally, the resistance and resilience shown by Cambodian human rights defenders as they continued to, and intensified, their calls for a more just Cambodia.

6 December 2015

LICADHO will not be able to conduct activities planned in 18 prisons for International Human Rights Day (IHRD) on December 10, 2015 due to prohibitive written conditions set by the General Department of Prisons (GDP).

4 December 2015

Thousands of Cambodians in 16 provinces will gather to celebrate the 67th International Human Rights Day (IHRD), culminating in a joint celebration in Phnom Penh on December 10.

From December 6 onward, grassroots groups such as communities affected by land conflicts, youth networks, associations, and monks as well as unions and NGOs across the country will hold a series of celebrations under an overall theme of ‘Justice’.

2 December 2015

This afternoon, three community representatives were sentenced to two years in prison by Ratanakiri court as over 100 supporters gathered outside the courtroom to protest the proceedings.

The community representatives were first summonsed in May 2015 as an intimidation tactic in the midst of a land conflict which started in 2012, when workers hired by Phnom Penh businessman Heang Socheat – and with the support of armed police – began clearing hundreds of hectares of land which had supported the livelihoods of 100 families living in Borkeo district.

Sout Soeun, Em Chan, and Chreuk Touck were convicted of charges relating to infringement of ownership under Articles 247, 248 and 253 of the Land Law. Only Article 253 carries a prison sentence, and is defined as ‘violence against a possessor of immovable property’. Despite a complete lack of any evidence of violence, all​ three received maximum prison sentences and were immediately sent to Ratanakiri prison following their sentencing. After the verdict was announced, supporters were pushed away from the entrance of the courthouse by armed military police.

29 November 2015

Today, to mark the global campaign 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which began on November 25 and runs until December 10, LICADHO is publishing a new report Getting Away With It: The Treatment of Rape in Cambodia’s Justice System. The report presents evidence of the immense failure of the Cambodian justice system to properly investigate and prosecute cases of rape involving women and children. It provides details of multiple systemic flaws – corruption, discriminatory attitudes towards women and girls, misinterpretation of the law, and lack of resources – which, together, mean that many perpetrators of rape receive only very lenient punishment or go completely unpunished.

20 November 2015

Today marks the 26th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The Cambodian government ratified the CRC on October 15, 1992, thus guaranteeing the protection and promotion of the four main baskets of rights of children in Cambodia: “the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life.”

In the spirit of the CRC, the Child Protection Group (CPG) network, with support from LICADHO, is releasing a storybook video: “The Last Day of Lang Reng.” This fictional work voices the concerns of young Cambodians regarding the rapid deforestation and environmental destruction they see taking place across their country.

3 November 2015

Following the deaths of two people unlawfully detained in the Prey Speu “Social Affairs” Center after having been arbitrarily arrested prior to Pchum Ben, LICADHO calls on relevant authorities to investigate the deaths and reiterates calls for the prompt closure of Prey Speu and all other such centers operating outside the criminal justice system. These are the second and third such deaths in less than a year.

2 November 2015

To mark the United Nations’ second International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, we, the undersigned civil society organizations (“CSOs”), call upon the Royal Government of Cambodia to bring an end to Cambodia’s rampant culture of impunity, and to ensure that the perpetrators of human rights violations are brought to justice.

30 October 2015

This morning, Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) leader Kem Sokha was removed as first vice president of Cambodia’s National Assembly in a vote passed unanimously by all 68 ruling party lawmakers following a walkout by all present CNRP lawmakers earlier this morning. The vote took place while almost half of CNRP's MPs are out of the country.

The removal comes four days after CPP-orchestrated protests in the capital calling for Kem Sokha to stand down outside the National Assembly left two CNRP MPs badly beaten, as well as protests against him by armed soldiers in northwestern Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces. Two days after the protests, senior CPP lawmakers Pen Panha and Cheam Yeap officially requested for Kem Sokha to be removed.

27 October 2015

ADHOC, CCHR, CCIM, CLEC, STT and LICADHO strongly condemn yesterday’s violence outside the National Assembly and at the gate of an opposition leader that left two opposition CNRP MPs injured and bloodied, and call for an immediate independent and transparent investigation into the orchestrated violence. We further express deep concerns over the lack of police action to control a related gathering in front of Kem Sokha’s house, which was surrounded this afternoon by several hundred individuals, some of who threw rocks at the front gates while others were heard calling for even further violence.

23 October 2015

Groups across Cambodia gathered today to mark the 24th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords by calling on the government to respect human rights and peaceful democracy.

About 50 land activists from Boeung Kak Lake community, as well as about 200 youths and monks across Battambang, Kampong Cham, Takeo and Phnom Penh, urged the government to respect the agreement by ensuring peace, upholding fundamental rights, including a democratic political system, and ensuring Cambodia’s sovereignty. The calls for peace come after comments from Prime Minister Hun Sen warning of civil war in Cambodia should the opposition CNRP party win the next national election.

7 October 2015

The trial of Sam Rainsy Party Senator Hong Sok Hour was suspended shortly after resuming this afternoon to reinvestigate documents submitted by the defence team and to call in specialists to analyse methods of finding and downloading documents from the internet.

Hong Sok Hour was charged with forgery of public documents, use of forged public documents, and incitement to commit a crime after posting an altered version of a reproduction of the 1979 treaty between Cambodia and Vietnam on Facebook. He has been detained in CC1 prison since his arrest on 16 August.

There is no date set for the trial resumption, which began on 2 October immediately following Hong Sok Hour’s rejected bail hearing.