LIBRARY

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.

7 October 2015

This morning, Areng Valley community representative and CPP commune councillor Vein Vorn was arrested on charges relating to his activism and sent to Koh Kong provincial prison.

He has been at the forefront of Areng Valley community’s campaign to stop the controversial development of a hydroelectric dam by the Pheapimex group – headed by ruling party senator Lao Meng King – and their Chinese partner Sinohydro. He now faces charges under Article 98 of the Forestry Law and 533 of the Criminal Code for leading the construction of a small communal meeting space built by the Areng Valley community to support their activism. About 40 community members are currently outside the court protesting his arrest.

Three activists from NGO Mother Nature, who were also active in protesting the hydrodam, have been in detention since August 17 for their role in an ongoing campaign to end alleged illegal sand dredging in Koh Kong.

5 October 2015

This morning, over 1,400 community members, monks and grassroots groups from across Cambodia gathered in Phnom Penh to celebrate the 30th World Habitat Day and to call on authorities to respect Cambodian people’s right to housing.

2 October 2015

This morning, monks from the Independent Monk Network for Social Justice (IMNSJ) gathered in Battambang town to call for an end to deforestation in Prey Lang forest.

The group of monks, led by Venerable But Buntenh, urged authorities to conserve Cambodia’s natural resources, particularly the endangered Prey Lang forest. The event was the latest in an ongoing campaign to protect Prey Lang. In July, monks from IMNSJ, together with other land activists, had submitted a petition to the Forestry Administration demanding an end to illegal logging in the forest.

21 September 2015

This morning, three activists from NGO Mother Nature were again denied bail after an Appeal Court hearing in Phnom Penh.

The three – Try Sovikea, 23; Sun Mala, 23; and Sim Samnang, 28 – were arrested on August 17 amid an ongoing campaign to end alleged illegal sand dredging in Koh Kong. They have been charged under Article 424 of the Penal Code with threatening to cause destruction, defacement or damage and ordering others to do so, and are currently detained in Koh Kong prison.

The bail verdict came after more than a month of sustained protests outside Koh Kong provincial court calling for their release, as well as for the resolution of other Koh Kong land conflicts. The activists were first denied bail by Koh Kong provincial court on August 31.

16 September 2015

Two men from Andoung Trabek community were tried by Svay Rieng provincial court this morning under charges of clearing state forest as dozens of security forces, as well as soldiers, mobilized outside to prevent about 40 of their supporters from gathering.

Suon Seiha and Suon Hongly were charged under Article 97 of the forestry law in 2012 as an intimidation tactic against Andoung Trabek community, who have repeatedly contested multiple land-grabs by local authorities – allegedly including forestry administration officers – which date back to 2008. The verdict of today’s trial is due on 23 September.

The deployment of soldiers, which obstructed the community gathering in support outside the court, has become common practice in Svay Rieng whenever authorities perceive a risk of communities gathering in the provincial town.

10 September 2015

This morning, imprisoned activist Ouk Pich Samnang was convicted of intentional violence and obstructing authorities - in defiance of testimony and lack of evidence - and sentenced to a further two years in prison relating to an October 2014 protest.

He was arrested following a protest outside the Prime Minister’s house by a Preah Vihear community calling for a solution to their land conflict. Police arrested him as he tried to recover from injuries caused by beatings from security guards during the protest, in which several other protesters were injured, including one who was hospitalised. No one has faced legal action for the excessive force used to disperse the protesters.

During his trial, not one civil party or witness who testified identified Ouk Pich Samnang as using violence, including the chief of the Daun Penh district security guards, and three civil parties actively said he was not responsible for their injuries. He was convicted nevertheless under Articles 218 and 503 of the penal code as well as being fined four million riel and ordered to pay 10 million riel in compensation to the civil parties.

2 September 2015

ADHOC, LICADHO and CLEC are outraged by the detention of 17 protestors, NGO staff and media workers in Koh Kong's provincial police station and call for their immediate release. The 17 were detained in the midst of a gathering calling for a solution to Chi Kha Kraom community’s land conflict. The gathering involved 50 youths and land activists who had also participated in daily peaceful protests against the arrest and imprisonment of three activists from NGO Mother Nature since August 19.

19 August 2015

Supporters of three arrested activists from Mother Nature have been blocked from entering Koh Kong city to protest their arrests.

The three activists – Try Sovikea, 23; Sun Mala, 23; and Sim Samnang, 28 – were arrested on August 17 amid an ongoing campaign to end alleged illegal sand dredging in Koh Kong. They have been charged under Article 424 of the Penal Code with threatening to cause destruction, defacement or damage and ordering others to do so, and are currently detained in Koh Kong prison. About 40 supporters, who were planning to gather outside Koh Kong provincial court to protest their arrests, have been blocked from entering the city by military police. Another 45 supporters, who managed to enter the city before the road block was in place, are protesting the arrests outside Koh Kong prison.

16 August 2015

Sam Rainsy Party Senator Hong Sok Hour, who was arrested yesterday, has been sent to CC1 prison.

He has been charged with forgery of public documents (Article 629 of Cambodia’s Criminal Code), use of forged public documents (Article 630), and incitement to commit a crime (Articles 494 & 495). The Senator was accused of treason by Prime Minister Hun Sen in a speech on Thursday for allegedly publishing an altered version of a 1979 treaty between Cambodia and Vietnam on his Facebook page on Wednesday.

15 August 2015

Sam Rainsy Party Senator Hong Sok Hour, who was arrested early this morning, has been sent to the Phnom Penh Commissariat following an interview in Phnom Penh’s Municipal Court this afternoon.

The Senator was accused of treason by Prime Minister Hun Sen in a speech on Thursday for allegedly publishing an altered version of a 1979 treaty between Cambodia and Vietnam on his Facebook page. He was arrested by a group of armed police at 6am this morning from the house of CNRP MP Yon Tharo, and there was a large presence of armed police surrounding the court throughout his appearance. He will be detained in the Phnom Penh Commissariat overnight and interviewed further by a prosecutor tomorrow.