LIBRARY

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.

19 February 2015

The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) strongly expresses its concern at the surge in land disputes documented by its offices in 2014, which resulted in a threefold increase in the number of families newly affected by land conflicts during that year when compared to the previous year.

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.

15 February 2015

As of November 2014 there were 40 children between the ages of one month and almost four years living with their mothers in the Cambodian prisons monitored by LICADHO. Approximately half of them were born in prison and have never experienced life beyond the prison walls. Whilst there have been few detailed studies assessing the long-term impact of prison life on a child’s development, it is clear that for some children early life behind bars can have devastating physical and psychological consequences and life in Cambodian prisons is no exception.

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.

28 January 2015

Ly Seav Minh is 23 years old and lives with her mother, father and brother in Toul Kork district, Phnom Penh. The family has lived on the land for 35 years and despite possessing evidence of their lengthy occupation of the land, they have been involved in a long-running land dispute with the municipality and the Khun Sea Company, to which the municipality sold the land in 2010. Originally six other families were involved in the dispute but all have now accepted compensation payments and moved away after facing consistent intimidation from the company.

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.

22 January 2015

This afternoon the Phnom Penh Court of Appeal heard appeals in two cases concerning 10 wrongfully convicted women land rights activists and one Buddhist monk. After hastily conducting the two hearings in just over four hours today, the Court of Appeal will announce a verdict in both cases on January 26, 2015 at 8 a.m

In the first case, Nget Khun, Tep Vanny, Song Srey Leap, Kong Chantha, Phan Chhunreth, Po Chorvy, and Nong Sreng, all long-term Boeung Kak Lake (BKL) activists were convicted of obstructing public traffic on November 11, 2014 and were sentenced to one year in prison and a $500 fine.

In the second case, three more long-term BKL activists, Heng Pich, Im Srey Touch, and Phoung Sopheap, and Buddhist monk Venerable Seung Hai were convicted on November 12, 2014 of aggravated obstruction of public officials and also sentenced to 1 year in prison and fined $500.

20 January 2015

Ahead of the appeal hearing this week for 10 land activists and one monk, all wrongfully convicted and imprisoned following unfair trials, LICADHO is publishing a new report about the current state of Cambodian prisons and the human rights implications for those held in them.

The report “Rights at a Price: Life inside Cambodia’s Prisons” details the ongoing, systematic abuse, discrimination, exploitation and corruption within Cambodia’s prison system and notes that despite steps towards reform, many challenges remain, including prison overcrowding, poor infrastructure, lack of appeal transportation, weak implementation of the law and lack of knowledge amongst prison officials.

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.

9 January 2015

Earlier this morning, defrocked monks Venerable Seung Hai, Venerable Khith Vannak, and Venerable Sang Kosal arrived at the Phnom Penh Appeal Court to request bail, as some 70 supporters gathered outside. Venerable Khith Vannak and Venerable Sang Kosal were appealing for bail following the delay of their previous hearing on December 30, 2014, which lasted just 15 minutes.

Within one hour of arriving at the court, all three defrocked monks were denied bail and transported back to Prey Sar’s CC1 prison.

Venerable Khith Vannak and Venerable Sang Kosal were arrested on November 12, 2014, while carrying national and religious flags attached to bamboo flagpoles in support of land activists from Preah Vihear province. They have been charged with participation in a criminal association (Criminal Code article 499) and face up to five years in prison and $2,500 in fines if found guilty.

8 January 2015

This Khmer audio book contains two radio shows that were originally broadcast during the 2014 campaign, 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence. The shows accompany the report "Good Wives": Women Land Campaigners and the Impact of Human Rights Activism, and include interviews with four female land activists who discuss how their lives have been changed by their activism and share their experiences of domestic violence and family breakdown.

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.

30 December 2014

This morning the Phnom Penh Appeal Court heard the appeal against denial of bail for activist monks Venerable Khith Vannak and Venerable Sang Kosal. The hearing which was closed to the public lasted just 15 minutes and a decision on bail will not be announced until January 9 at 8am. Both monks were defrocked following their arrest and are currently held in pre-trial detention in CC1 prison.

The two monks were arrested on November 12, 2014, while carrying national and religious flags attached to bamboo flag poles in support of land activists from Preah Vihear province. They have been charged with participation in a criminal association (Criminal Code article 499) and face up to five years in prison and $2,500 in fines if found guilty.

Following the short hearing more than 100 monks, land activists and rights workers protested in front of the court calling for the two monks to be released.

25 December 2014

The trial of 11 CNRP leaders and supporters ended abruptly today at 4pm after the judge and prosecutor returned from a five-hour lunch recess. Earlier the judge had announced that the trial would be held over three non-consecutive days. The next hearing will be in two two weeks from now on January 8 at 8am. This morning’s proceedings consisted of arguments for and against bail release for the five detained. Bail was rejected for all five.

During proceedings around 400-500 police and three fire trucks were stationed inside Olympic Stadium near the court near where hundreds of people had gathered in support.

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.