LIBRARY

6 January 2014

Family members, lawyers and independent medical professionals have been denied information about the location of detention of 23 people arrested during recent brutal crackdowns in Phnom Penh. Those arrested include at least three human rights defenders, Vorn Pao, Theng Soveoun and Chan Putisak.

6 January 2014

Five female representatives of Boeung Kak Lake community were arrested this morning as they prepared to protest in front of the French Embassy for the release of other imprisoned human rights defenders.

Meanwhile authorities continue to refuse to disclose the place of detention of at least 23 other people who were arrested and charged during recent brutal crackdowns in Phnom Penh. One of them is 17 year old boy. For the past three days their families, lawyers and independent medical professionals have been denied information about their location and health condition. Some were savagely beaten during arrest in Phnom Penh and are in urgent need of medical attention.

Those arrested this morning are Tep Vanny, Yorm Bopha, Pan Chunreth, Bop Chorvy and Sok Srey Leap. They are currently held at a police station on National Road 5.

4 January 2014

This morning state forces put a violent end to CNRP supporters’ long-standing occupation of Freedom Park, also known as Democracy Plaza, an area in central Phnom Penh specifically designated for protest.

This action follows two days of violence, which included the shooting yesterday at the Canadia industrial zone which left at least four civilians dead and dozens wounded.

3 January 2014

LICADHO has confirmed that at least four civilians were shot dead and 21 injured in the worst state violence against civilians to hit Cambodia in fifteen years.

Amid risks of growing civil unrest in Phnom Penh in the aftermath of the shootings, the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) and the Community Legal Education Centre (CLEC) call on security forces and protestors to exercise urgent restraint on both sides to avoid any further bloodshed.

3 January 2014

Yesterday, January 2, 2014, ten men, including Vorn Pao, President of IDEA, Theng Savoeun, Coordinator of CCFC, and Chan Puthisak, community leader from Boeung Kak Lake, were arrested by Cambodian soldiers in front of the Yak Jin factory on National Road #4. This morning they were taken to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court t and charged with two offences: intentional violence with aggravating circumstances and intentional damage with aggravating circumstances. The men were finally given access to medical attention before being sent to CC1 prison.

The ten men are represented by lawyers from four organizations. They face up to 18 months of pre-trial detention and up to 5 years’ imprisonment as well as fines from $1,000 - $2,500.

2 January 2014

The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) and the Community Legal Education Centre (CLEC) are outraged by today’s violent crackdown on striking workers by a military special command unit and the consequent violent arrest of union leaders, garment workers and monks.

19 December 2013

Sothea, a child laborer, has spent most of his 16 years living and working in a brick factory compound in Ba Kaing Commune. He is one of a shockingly high number of children in Cambodia aged 5-17 who work as laborers and receive little to no compensation. Despite facing limited opportunities and resources, Sothea is determined to make a better life for himself and for his family. The first and most important step, he says, is getting a good education.

17 December 2013

On July 28, 2013, Cambodia held its fifth National Assembly elections since the country’s elections organized by the United Nations Transitional Authority for Cambodia (UNTAC) in 1993. Serious flaws have undermined the confidence of many Cambodians in the integrity of the elections and their results.

This joint-report aims to provide a comprehensive view of the problems that have been described in several reports and research conducted on the recent elections.

13 December 2013

On the morning of Tuesday, December 10, 2013, groups celebrated International Human Rights Day around the city. Monks and civil society peace marchers converged in front of the National Assembly after a 10-day march from various provincial locations. A group of about 1,000 people, largely consisting of garment workers, celebrated at Wat Phnom. Meanwhile, the CNRP held an event in Freedom Park attended by about 5,000 supporters. The day ended with tension as a 15-person protest in front of the US embassy was forcibly stopped with the deployment of hundreds of military police.

10 December 2013

This year's celebration of December 10's International Human Rights Day has taken an unprecedented size with religious peace walks on five major national roads starting Dec 1 and a series of events planned for the day itself by political parties and civil society. Follow this livestream as we update you with events as-it-happens.

9 December 2013

Starting December 1st, civil society groups and monks started long marches on five national roads to highlight the need for justice and peace in the country. The groups will converge into Phnom Penh on December 10, International Human Rights Day, and deliver to the National Assembly hand-written petitions by citizens across the country.

8 December 2013

As thousands of people gather across Cambodia to celebrate International Human Rights Day (IHRD), LICADHO will also be celebrating with prisoners in 18 prisons across Cambodia.

LICADHO will organize basic food package distribution to more than 13,000 prisoners in 18 Cambodian prisons,1 including nutrient drinks and snacks. LICADHO will provide a more comprehensive care package to four prisoners that LICADHO considers human rights defenders. LICADHO will also organize entertainment for prisoners, such as traditional dancing and music.

6 December 2013

On Sunday, December 1, 2013, civil society groups, led by monks, began marching from five different provincial locations down five National Roads towards Phnom Penh to commemorate the 65th anniversary of International Human Rights Day. Their goal is to march 20km per day and converge en masse in front of the National Assembly on December 10 to present complaints, concerns and recommendations from people they meet to elected officials. Along the way, marchers are also promoting human rights and educating communities on the teachings of Buddhism.

29 November 2013

Over 500 Cambodian monks will march from Dec. 1 to Dec. 10 to celebrate the 65th International Human Rights Day (IHRD). Joining them will be communities, associations, networks, federations, unions and NGOs, as well as residents of communities along the designated routes.

27 November 2013

As the international community celebrates the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender Violence from November 25 to December 10th, we, the undersigned civil society groups, call on the government to end violence against women perpetrated by its agents.

23 November 2013

On November 12, 2013 a street vendor, Eng Sokhum, was killed and nine others wounded by police gunfire during a garment workers’ strike in Phnom Penh. On September 15, 2013 Mao Sok Chan was shot in the head and killed when trying to make his way home through a violent clash at a roadblock at the end of a day of post-election protest. As yet, neither incident has been properly investigated and no one has been held responsible. Investigations by LICADHO show that these recent tragedies were not exceptional and were in fact illustrative of a pervasive tendency to the unlawful use of excessive force, fueled by failure to investigate or punish.

22 November 2013

After more than 14 months detention, Yorm Bopha was finally released from Police Judiciaire prison (PJ) at 5.45 this evening. Her much-anticipated Supreme Court hearing began this morning at 9.45 as more than 400 supporters, including monks and civil society, joined her family and community outside the courtroom. After a 2-hour hearing, the Supreme Court granted bail to Bopha pending her re-trial at the Appeal Court.

Clearly emotional to be reunited with her eight-year-old son, and expressing gratitude to her fellow community members for their unstinting support, Bopha headed to Boeung Kak surrounded by well-wishers to celebrate her release.

Get the details of today's release via our live stream.

22 November 2013

On November 22, 2013, jailed land activist Yorm Bopha, declared Prisoner of Conscience in 2012, will appear in front of the Supreme Court for her last hearing to seek release. LICADHO will be live streaming news as-it-happens both inside and outside of courtroom.

21 November 2013

On November 23rd, 2013, the international community will mark the Third International Day to End Impunity. In Cambodia, impunity continues to be one of the greatest obstacles to strengthening the rule of law and allowing citizens of the country to receive Justice. We are inviting reporters, media workers and victims who have been denied justice as a result of impunity to express their solidarity by joining together where journalist Khim Sambo was killed in 2008 and call the government to provide Justice.

21 November 2013

This briefing paper offers brief capsule on all of the reporters killed in Cambodia since 1993.