LIBRARY

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.

12 August 2015

Today, a full session of the Constitutional Council declared the draft Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO) constitutional in both its content and the process of its drafting and approval.

The LANGO was passed by the National Assembly on July 13 and by the Senate on July 24 amid widespread national and international criticism. It is now due to go before the King for final approval.

12 August 2015

This morning, about 200 youths aged 18-25 celebrated International Youth Day in Siem Reap with a bike ride, balloon release and public forum under the theme ‘Youth are important for development’.

About 200 more children joined the youths for the forum which also included traditional dancing, games and music. The question-and-answer session of the event revealed that the most common concerns among those present are poverty and economic opportunities, education and corruption in the education system, and youth engagement in such political, social and economic issues. Today's event was organised by about 10 youth groups from different districts and organisations across Siem Reap.

12 August 2015

In response to the article "Provincial cop ‘still on job’ despite sentencing" (Phnom Penh Post, 11 August 2015), LICADHO commends Mr Yun Bunly for his remarkable courage and principle in pursuing the case against Korng Sophat, the police officer convicted of raping his 11-year old daughter in 2010. Immediately after committing the crime, Sophat offered Mr Bunly and his family a sizeable sum of money to drop the complaint against him. Instead the family chose to pursue the case through the courts but five years later they have been woefully failed by Cambodia’s justice system.

30 July 2015

As the Constitutional Council of Cambodia prepares to review the legality of the Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO), ADHOC and LICADHO call on the Council to reject the law on the basis of numerous provisions that violate Cambodian citizens’ constitutional rights and freedoms.

26 July 2015

Five men and one woman from youth groups based in Preah Vihear and Phnom Penh were arrested this morning after gathering in front of the National Assembly to protest the Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO), which was approved by the Senate on Friday.

The six youths - Chum Hour and Chum Hout from Khmer Youth Empire group, Veoun Ratana, Moung Sony and Soun Veana from Khmer Student Intelligent League Association, and Meas Leakhena from the CNRP Chroy Chanvar women’s movement - were among about 45 people from three youth groups affiliated to NGOs Moha Norkor and Mother Nature protesting LANGO outside the National Assembly this morning, some wearing prisoners’ outfits in protest of the repressive law. They are currently detained in Chamkor Mon district police office in Phnom Penh, where land communities and monks’ networks have joined their youth groups protesting outside for their release. About 120 mixed riot police, traffic police and security guards are also present.

24 July 2015

The widely-criticized Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO) was approved by the Senate at about 10 o’clock this morning as over 400 people from grassroots groups, unions, monks’ groups and other associations gathered outside to protest against it.

Amid widespread national and international criticism, including months of protests across the country against the law, attending ruling-party Senators voted to approve the LANGO which was passed by the National Assembly on 13 July. The 11 SRP Senators boycotted the vote.

Protesters had gathered outside the Senate in the early morning, singing, holding anti-LANGO banners, and distributing stickers as monks performed a Buddhist ceremony symbolizing rejection of the law. Protesters also submitted a petition from grassroots groups, unions and NGOs to the Japanese Embassy to take action over the law.

22 July 2015

Two days before the repressive Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO) goes before the Senate, community and civil society groups across 13 provinces continue ongoing protests against the law.

Across the country, over a thousand people from community groups, monks’ networks, unions and NGOs released balloons with anti-LANGO messages, held community forums to discuss the impact of the law, distributed leaflets on the law, and in some areas marched through towns to provincial lawmakers’ officers. In Siem Reap, police blocked the road as marchers approached the hall and dispersed the protest.

The LANGO is a widely-condemned draft law that will give the government sweeping powers to restrict civil society. It was passed by the National Assembly on 13 July to national and international criticism, and is due before the Senate on July 24.

21 July 2015

This afternoon, 11 officials and supporters of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) were convicted of charges relating to insurrection and sentenced to between seven and 20 years imprisonment. They were taken to CC1 prison immediately following the sentencing.

20 July 2015

This afternoon, about 250 farmers from Svay Rieng, Sihanoukville and Takeo gathered at the National Assembly in Phnom Penh to submit petitions relating to land disputes in Sihanoukville and Svay Rieng.

One petition called for the National Assembly to conduct an investigation into ongoing land disputes in Svay Rieng, including alleged corruption by officials in the sale of farmers' land to companies which has prevented farmers from obtaining land titles. The second petition called on the National Assembly to address ongoing land issues in Sihanoukville. Some of the land conflicts date from 2011, and together have affected nearly 2,000 families across the two provinces. After the farmers submitted the petitions, members of National Assembly committees agreed to investigate the disputes.

Authorities blocked a group of about 200 people from Romeas Heak district in Svay Rieng from going to Phnom Penh to join the rally this morning.

18 July 2015

Five women are currently being held in Phnom Penh’s 7 Makara police station after being arrested during a peaceful anti-LANGO (Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organisations) event this morning. The event began at 8.30 at Phnom Penh’s night market when around 50 people gathered to hand out “Say NO to LANGO” stickers and fliers in some of the city’s main shopping areas. Shortly after 10 o’clock, when the group had reached O Russei Market, security guards and police arrived to prevent the group going any further. They then arrested the five women, four land rights activists from Boeung Kak community and one from Borei Keila. Having been held at the O Russei 2 commune police station for around two hours, they were then escorted through the streets by police to their current location. They have been told that they must wait for the arrival of Phnom Penh city governor Pa Socheatvong.

Around ten other activists and NGO staff are waiting with them. They have now been in detention for over four hours.

14 July 2015

We, the undersigned civil society groups, condemn the Cambodian People’s Party’s unanimous approval yesterday of the repressive and unnecessary Law on Associations and Non-Government Organizations (LANGO) and call on the Senate to reject the law. The vote at yesterday’s extraordinary session of the National Assembly is a catastrophic development for civil society in Cambodia and is a major step in the government’s wider campaign to undermine democracy and restrict citizens’ rights and freedoms.

13 July 2015

At 8 o’clock this morning over 500 monks, farmers, land rights activists, unionists, tuk-tuk drivers, youth, students, and NGO staff gathered at Wat Ounalum in Phnom Penh to protest the proposed draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organisations (LANGO) and the draft Trade Union Law. The group marched towards the National Assembly to join 200 NGO representatives who plan to hold a press conference there, but have been blocked several hundred meters away by police and security guards. The marchers are continuing their peaceful protest at the barricade.

The LANGO is a widely condemned draft law that will give the government sweeping powers to restrict civil society. It is being voted on at the National Assembly this morning.

7 July 2015

Amid mounting national and international criticism of the proposed Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO), the ruling party has expedited the schedule to pass LANGO into law by calling an extraordinary session of the National Assembly on Friday July 10th. Join LICADHO for live coverage of the main events in the last 72 hours before the vote.

4 July 2015

The CPP, Cambodia’s ruling party, has announced its intention to hold an extraordinary session of the National Assembly on July 10th, during which members of parliament will vote on whether to pass the Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO). For the past three months Cambodian civil society has been voicing its opposition to the law and between June 28 and 30, numerous grassroots groups, networks and NGOs conducted a spirited 3-day campaign to protest against the LANGO and also the draft Trade Union Law. Both laws have been widely criticised in Cambodia and abroad for the threat they represent to Cambodian civil society. This music video shows some of the campaign events at which activists and civil society members sang and danced to a classic Cambodian pop song “I Don’t Accept It”. The lyrics were specially rewritten by Cambodian youths and Boeung Kak activists to express their rejection of the laws and to assert their right to gather and express themselves freely.