LIBRARY

15 December 2014

To celebrate International Human Rights Day (IHRD) this year, 600 monks marched alongside land activists, associations, unions, rural and urban residents, and NGOs, on six national roads towards Phnom Penh from December 5 to December 10. This year’s IHRD theme was “Respecting Human Rights Leads to Peace!” For the first time, indigenous communities in Ratanakiri province participated in IHRD by organizing their own march on National Road 7, which began on December 4.

9 December 2014

Tomorrow is International Human Rights Day and a number celebrations, led by a variety of groups, are due to take place in Phnom Penh. Hundreds of peace marchers, who have been walking from across the country over the last five days, will come together in the capital to submit petitions at the National Assembly. Events will also be held by unions, the opposition party and a coalition of NGOs. LICADHO will be livestreaming events from across the city throughout the day.

9 December 2014

This morning at Kros village, Samrong commune, Prek Phnov district, Phnom Penh, 150 police, military police, and security guards, have blocked 80 peace marchers along National Road 5 from entering the city.

About 30 security guards in Pou Senchey district are also gathering to block marchers entering Phnom Penh between Kombol commune and Kantouk commune, on National Road 4, while security forces have also been mobilizing to block National Roads 1, 2, and 6.

Marchers from all six national roads are planning to reach pagodas in Phnom Penh this afternoon to sleep overnight before marching to the National Assembly to submit petitions on International Human Rights Day.

8 December 2014

On November 10 and 11, 10 Boeung Kak land rights activists were arrested while staging peaceful protests in Phnom Penh. By November 12, all had been sentenced to a year in prison. The imprisonment of the women occured during a wave of arrests which targeted not only land rights activists but also opposition party members and activist monks. Nineteen of those arrested remain in detention.

This photo album focuses on the 10 female Boeung Kak activists whose struggle for a just resolution to their land dispute has now lasted seven years. For five of them, this is their second prison term.

8 December 2014

On Wednesday, Cambodia will celebrate International Human Rights Day. LICADHO takes this opportunity to recall attention to the 19 men and women who have been wrongfully imprisoned following a recent spate of arrests in Phnom Penh. LICADHO condemns these imprisonments and the continued abuse of the judicial system by the ruling party and well-connected individuals.

7 December 2014

Earlier today, peace marchers along National Roads 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, continued making their way towards Phnom Penh to mark International Human Rights Day on December 10.

Marchers on National Road 2 yet again faced difficulties accessing a pagoda for an overnight stay. 130 marchers, including 22 monks, were refused entry at Wat Neng Kmao until around 7pm this evening after lengthy negotiations.

On National Road 3, 39 monks and around 20 marchers were refused entry by the chief monk at Wat Prasat Srakeo. After no success in negotiating with the chief monk, the peace marchers continued to Wat Arng Montrey Mey to receive the same message as the previous pagoda. The marchers eventually found an overnight stay at Wat Ang Rong in Takeo province.

7 December 2014

The Cambodian government should promptly close all centers arbitrarily detaining people outside the criminal justice system, LICADHO and Human Rights Watch said today. The abusive nature of these centers was highlighted by the death on November 26, 2014, of a man who was arbitrarily detained and denied medical treatment at the Prey Speu center outside Phnom Penh.

6 December 2014

This morning, peace marches along National Roads 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 continued making their way to Phnom Penh for International Human Rights Day on December 10.

In Takeo, on National Road 2, marchers were allowed to proceed this morning after soldiers and police officers armed with AK-47’s, had previously blocked the march from proceeding under orders of Takeo Provincial Governor Lay Vannak. Many marchers were left with no option but to sleep out in the open for the night.

On National Road 6, 200 marchers and 30 monks from Ratanakiri and Kompong Cham were refused to entry to Wat Skun last night after the district monk for Cheung Prey blocked the gates. Marchers eventually found a place to stay on a plot of land with little shelter 5km down the road.

5 December 2014

Over a hundred monks and civilians are being blocked on National Road 2 in Takeo by a group of armed soldiers and police officers on the order of Takeo Provincial Governor Lay Vannak. Authorities have asserted that the group will not be allowed to go ahead with the peace march unless they obtain permission from the Interior Ministry.

Interference began yesterday when authorities locked the gates into Wat Saom, located in Takeo’s Kirivong district. As a result, monks and citizens were left with nowhere sheltered to sleep, having to settle on the land of nearby villagers.

Elsewhere in the country groups have begun the nationwide peace march for International Human Rights Day towards Phnom Penh on National Roads 1,3,4,5,6 and 7.

4 December 2014

This morning in Ochum district, Ratanakiri province, over 250 human rights activists, led by monks, launched this year’s nationwide peace march for International Human Rights Day (IHRD) 2014.

Activists and monks gathered in Ochum district at around 7am and are making their way to the provincial capital, Banlung. The march comes after a night of traditional dancing was performed by indigenous communities who also shared stories about land disputes, and other human rights issues, affecting their families.

Currently marchers are resting at Yeak Loum Lake where Venerable Loun Sovath is addressing the crowd as part of a public forum on IHRD.

2 December 2014

Over 600 human rights activists, led by monks, will march along six national roads towards Phnom Penh between December 5 and December 10, 2014, to celebrate the 66th International Human Rights Day (IHRD). Joining them will be participants from communities affected by land disputes, associations, networks, unions and NGOs, as well as villagers from rural and urban communities along the designated routes.

28 November 2014

At around 8.30am this morning, one volunteer from local NGO Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT) and one tuk tuk driver were arrested near the National Assembly before being detained for part of the morning by Chamkarmon district authorities at Wat Toul Tompong. The STT volunteer and tuk tuk driver had been attending a demonstration with over 250 land activists and monks who were calling for the release of recently arrested activists and monks, currently detained at Prey Sar’s CC1 and CC2 prisons. Authorities also confiscated one loudspeaker.

The land activists – from Boeung Kak lake, Borei Keila, Preah Vihear, and Lor Peang – and monks, had gathered in front of the Buddhist Institute before marching towards the National Assembly to submit the petition.

The peaceful protestors were met by over 100 security forces who threatened violence as they blocked off access to the National Assembly while Prime Minister Hun Sen was in attendance.

24 November 2014

Renowned human rights defender Venerable Loun Sovath will appear before the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in a flawed and protracted judicial process aiming to silence him. He has been charged with “incitement to commit a felony” for joining and supporting demonstrations by victims of land disputes throughout Cambodia.

23 November 2014

To mark the start of the global campaign, 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, LICADHO has published a report exploring how the lives of women campaigners are changed by their activism. It reveals the high price women pay, suffering not only serious economic and emotional impacts but also often domestic violence and family breakdown.

23 November 2014

This morning, over 300 people gathered outside Prey Sar prison to protest against recent politically motivated arrests for the second consecutive Sunday in a row.

Civil society organisations, monks, and communities protested outside CC1 and CC2 prisons at Prey Sar while US politician and elected representative for the state of Massachusetts, Morm Rady, addressed the crowd with relatives of those imprisoned.

Following the protests at the prison, the crowd moved to Phnom Penh Municipal Court for further demonstrations.

23 November 2014

We, the 16 endorsing non-governmental organizations, urge the Cambodian authorities to drop the charges against renowned human rights defender Venerable Luon Sovath. He is facing trial on 25 November 2014 in a flawed and protracted judicial process that clearly aims to silence him. Venerable Sovath is internationally known as the "multi-media monk," and his efforts to voice the human rights abuses against vulnerable communities and human rights defenders in Cambodia have been recognized globally.

21 November 2014

Sunday is International Day to End Impunity. ‘Freedom of Assembly in Cambodia’ is a 3.5 minute music video made up of footage from the past 14 months showing both state-sponsored abuses committed with impunity, and the resilience of Cambodian activists in the face of oppression.

20 November 2014

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). On October 15, 1992, the Cambodian government ratified the CRC, thus pledging to protect and promote four fundamental rights of children everywhere: “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”.

On this day, LICADHO releases a video of Seng Sokhim, a 16 year old girl who actively promotes and protects the rights of children in her community in Bak Keng commune, Phnom Penh. Sokhim is part of LICADHO's Child Protection Groups (CPGs) network that operates on the grassroots level to empower children, youths, and adults to be children's rights advocates.

18 November 2014

This morning some 150 community members and monks gathered in front of the Embassy of the United States in support of Venerable Luon Sovath, while demanding the release of more than a dozen activists and monks who were arrested and imprisoned last week.

Venerable Sovath is submitting letters of invitation to 13 embassies, calling on dignitaries to witness his trial on November 25 at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. He is being tried on alleged charges of incitement.

Additionally, community members and monks are submitting petitions at the same embassies to request the release of more than a dozen activists and monks who are being detained at CC1 and CC2 in Prey Sar Prison. Venerable Sovath and the 150 community members and monks, will march to a total of 13 embassies including Britain, Singapore, Russia, Thailand, China, Australia, Republic of Korea, the European Union, and Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

16 November 2014

This morning around 200 monks, NGO representatives and land activists from Borei Keila, Boeung Kak, Thmor Kol and Lor Peang communities gathered outside Prey Sar CC1 and CC2 prisons to call for the release of 17 imprisoned activists. Demonstrators, including relatives of the land activists held speeches and released balloons before marching near the prisons.

Last week ten land activists, three newly-defrocked monks and two CNRP members were arrested and sent to prison for exercising their right to peacefully protest. Eleven of them have already been swiftly tried, convicted and sentenced to one year in prison. Two other CNRP members have been in prison since last month.