LIBRARY

31 March 2011

Phnom Penh - The second draft of the proposed Association & NGO law (NGO Law) is not significantly different from the first draft, and remains the most serious threat to civil society in Cambodia today, according to a new briefing paper from LICADHO.

The first draft of the law, released on Dec. 15, 2010, was widely condemned by civil society and international observers as an assault on Cambodians' right to freedom of association, assembly and expression. The second draft, released by the Ministry of Interior on March 24, does nothing to assuage these fears.

Registration is still mandatory for all NGOs and Associations (Article 6). Nonregistered groups are banned from operating. Key provisions are vague and open to arbitrary interpretation. And in many circumstances, the government has carte blanche to shut organizations down without appeal (Article 18 was removed from second draft).

31 March 2011

The recently-released draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations confirms long-standing fears that the government's desire for such a law is in order to control, rather than promote and strengthen, civil society. The draft law - which falls far short of meeting international standards for laws on the nonprofit sector - constitutes the most serious threat to civil society in Cambodia in years. While this threat may appear to be most acute for human rights defenders, it has serious negative implications for community development and democratic participation on a broader scale.

Upon cursory examination, the draft law might appear to be positive in that it omits some draconian provisions which had been mooted by the government in the past. However, the law remains - in letter and in spirit - extremely pernicious to civil society.

8 March 2011

The number of women and girls in Cambodian prisons has soared 41 percent since 2007, outpacing the already extraordinary overall growth rate of 29 percent during the same period.

At the end of 2010, a total of 914 women were incarcerated in Cambodia. An average of 12 of these women was pregnant; while an average of 47 young children were living alongside their incarcerated mothers.

LICADHO and its partner NGOs are marking International Women's Day this year by drawing attention to the plight of imprisoned women and children. LICADHO and its partners will deliver food and supplies to female prisoners at 18 prisons and hold special events at Correctional Center 2 ("CC2") and Takhmao prisons. The events at CC2 and Takhmao will include traditional dancing and games, as well as guest speakers who will spread out International Women's Day impression.

2 March 2011

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, commend the Supreme Court's decision today to release Thach Saveth, who was wrongly convicted of murdering union leader Ros Sovannareth in 2004.

The Supreme Court overturned Thach Saveth's conviction and ordered him released on bail pending a reinvestigation of the case. Thach Saveth was originally convicted in February 2005 and sentenced to 15 years in prison. His conviction was then upheld by the appeal court in February 2009.

16 February 2011

The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) condemns the ongoing censorship of the Internet in Cambodia, which has targeted news and opinion sites critical of the government.

"Until now, Cambodia's Internet environment had been noticeably freer than in neighboring countries," said LICADHO President Pung Chhiv Kek. "More importantly, the Internet was the only audio or visual media not fully controlled by the government. The censoring of controversial Web sites marks a significant milestone in the march toward a more oppressive media environment."

The ongoing disruption of certain Web sites began for some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) on January 19, 2011, with the blockage of the controversial Web site KI-Media (and initiall all blogs hosted by the domain Blogspot). The problem affected ISPs Ezecom, Metfone, WiCAM and possibly others.

6 February 2011

This LICADHO production offers a glimpse into community activism to resist land evictions throughout Cambodia The video was shown during the land grabbing workshop leading up to the World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal in February 2011.

The Khmer language version of this video was put together after the Senegal workshop. Its content differs a little and is targeted at grassroots activists.

27 January 2011

We, the undersigned members of civil society, deeply regret the conviction on defamation charges of community representative Reach Seima and ADHOC staff member Sam Chankea, following their work to help the victims of a land-grab in Kampong Chhnang province. The verdict is a setback for freedom of expression, and represents yet another instance where the Cambodian judiciary has been misused to punish a human rights defender who dared to
publicly demand justice for victims of human rights abuses.

Sam Chankea, ADHOC's Kampong Chhnang provincial coordinator, was convicted and sentenced by the court on January 25, 2011. The court ordered him to pay a 1 million riel fine and an additional 3 million riel in compensation to the plaintiff, the K.D.C. International Company. Last week, the same provincial court also sentenced community representative Reach Seima, who was a victim of land grabbing by the same company. He was also convicted of defamation and sentenced to pay a 2 million riel of fine and an additional 8 million riel of compensation. He faces 6 months in prison if he cannot pay.

21 January 2011

On the morning of January 16, 2011, over a hundred garment workers and civil society members gathered outside Cambodia's Prey Sar prison to seek the release of their union leader, Sous Chantha. Joined by Chantha's wife and toddler, the group held a religious ceremony and proceeded to launch balloons in the air for Chantha to see from within the prison's walls.

The gathering highlighted the fact that Sous Chantha has spent nearly two months in pretrial detention on drug trafficking charges. His arrest on November 18, 2010, followed his 1,000-member union's migration to the pro-workers Coalition of Cambodia Apparel Workers Democratic Union (CCAWDU).

20 December 2010

Cambodia took a step backwards on freedom of expression issues in 2010, and is poised to continue the trend in 2011, according to a new report from LICADHO.

The report, "Freedom of Expression in Cambodia: The Illusion of Democracy" documents nearly 50 cases in which the government violated individuals' expressive freedoms during 2010. The incidents, taken together, illustrate a disturbing trend: Authorities are growing increasingly bold in their campaign to silence those who speak out against the political and economic elite. As a result, Cambodians are being excluded from participating in their own democracy.

20 December 2010

The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) condemns the groundless conviction of United Nations' World Food Program national staff Seng Kunnaka by the Phnom Penh court on Sunday morning, December 20, 2010.

Seng Kunnaka was arrested on Friday before noon by the Russei Keo district police. The arrest occured after Kunnaka printed and shared material found on the website ki-media, an online blog dedicated to aggregating news articles and opinions on Cambodia including material critical of its government.

15 December 2010

Venerable Loun Sovath has many hats: he is a monk, a human rights defender and a representative for the disenfranchised Chikreng community in Siem Reap province.

Sovath has acted at great risk to his personal safety, struggling to find justice for the victims of the Chi Kreng land grab.

Venerable Sovath was threatened very often, like many other human rights defenders, dispite his robes. In fact, he may face an even greater threat, given his willingness to speak out, appear in the media, and openly document abuse perpetrated by the authorities.

10 December 2010

More than 20,000 Cambodians celebrated the 62nd International Human Rights day on Dec 10th, 2010.

In 65 events across the country, civil society groups including trade unionists, students, farmers, fishermen, musicians, youths, entertainment workers, tuk tuk drivers, motorcycle drivers and NGO workers celebrated IHRD within their communities.

Throughout Cambodia, the celebrations were held under the common theme of 'We all want justice and sustainable livelihoods!' and a common symbol representing the role of human rights defenders in Cambodia, the blue Kramar.

IHRD is celebrated every year on December 10, marking the day that the UNDHR was signed in 1948. Since then, the Declaration has been and continues to be a source of inspiration for national and international efforts to promote and protect human rights.

10 December 2010

More than 20,000 Cambodians from communities and other civil society groups around the country, including trade unionists, students, farmers, fishermen, musicians, youths, entertainment workers, tuk tuk drivers, motorcycle drivers and NGO workers, will celebrate International Human Rights Day (IHRD) in their communities this year.

These celebrations are tied together with the common theme "We All Need Justice and Sustainable Livelihood!" and a common symbol ‐ the blue Kramar to represent the important role of human rights defenders in Cambodia.

Initiatives from civil society groups will mark the achievements made in human rights in Cambodia, but also focus on critical issues still facing the country's citizens - including exploitation of land and natural resources; restrictions to the freedoms of expression, association and assembly; and violations of labor rights.

9 December 2010

In summer 2010, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay provoked strong condemnation from the Cambodian government when she criticized the judiciary's and ling of cases involving opposition politicians Mu Sochua and Sam Rainsy.

As of Dec. 10, 2010, the same criticism could make her a criminal in Cambodia.

Under Article 523 of the Penal Code, which comes into effect tomorrow, any person who criticizes a "judicial act or decision" aiming to "endanger Cambodian institutions" can be sentenced to up to six months imprisonment and 1 million riel fine.

The provision is one among several problematic provisions highlighted by LICADHO in a brief analysis of new penal code sections which may potentially affect freedom of expression in Cambodia. The nalysis is being released to mark the official enactment of the code, which coincidentally falls on International Human Rights Day.

4 December 2010

The recently-released draft Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations confirms long-standing fears that the government's desire for such a law is in order to control, rather than promote and strengthen, civil society. The draft law - which falls far short of meeting international standards for laws on the non-profit sector - constitutes the most serious threat to civil society in Cambodia in years. While this threat may appear to be most acute for human rights defenders, it has serious negative implications for community development and democratic participation on a broader scale.

Upon cursory examination, the draft law might appear to be positive in that it omits some draconian provisions which had been mooted by the government in the past. However, the law remains - in letter and in spirit - extremely pernicious to civil society.

2 December 2010

LICADHO President and Founder Dr Pung Chhiv Kek and Venerable Luon Sovath accepted an award on behalf of LICADHO as guests of honor at the 2010 Annual Focus for Change benefit dinner held in New York by LICADHO partner WITNESS, an international human rights organization which uses video to open the eyes of the world to human rights violations.

The 2010 benefit dinner saw WITNESS honoring LICADHO with an award for its use of video to document evidence in the ongoing struggle to end forced evictions in Cambodia. The partnership begun in 2007, when WITNESS provided LICADHO with 50 small handheld FLIP cameras for use by community activists in 18 Cambodia provinces to film and document cases of human rights abuse. Since then, LICADHO and WITNESS have worked closely together to produce advocacy videos on the plight of land-grabbing victims, creating international support to halt specific evictions.

3 November 2010

The incident took place during a protest in front of the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital on the morning of October 28, 2010, where a group of fifty protesters gathered to seek intervention by the UN Secretary-General into the ongoing Boeung Kak land grab in Phnom Penh. ;Around 10:15AM, as the UN Secretary-General was visiting the Hospital with government officials, a mixed group of armed anti-riot police and administrative police officers launched a violent assault on standing protesters, pushing people to the ground, beating some with walkie-talkies and shocking others with electric batons.

During the incident, Suong Sophorn, an activist who lives in the Boeung Kak Lake area, was arrested and viciously beaten, resulting in a severe bleeding wound to the head. The police dragged him away as he felt unconscious and was further beaten by officers. Sophorn is one among the Cambodians who were protesting the forced eviction of the Boeung Kak Lake community, and was appealing for a meeting with the Secretary-General.

1 November 2010

* Cambodia Still Ranking Low on Corruption Index * UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Visits Cambodia

1 November 2010

We, the undersigned representatives of Cambodian civil society, write to you to express concerns regarding the request by Prime Minister Hun Sen on 27 October 2010 to remove Christophe Peschoux from his position as Cambodia Country Representative for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and his threat to close the OHCHR Cambodia office.

Since its establishment in 1993 following the Paris Peace Agreements, the OHCHR Cambodia office and its staff have worked diligently in pursuit of its mandate to protect and promote human rights and have made significant contributions to the concept of democracy and rule of law in Cambodia. In January 2010, the mandate of OHCHR Cambodia was extended for an additional two years. This extension is a reflection of the current human rights situation in Cambodia and the need for the continued presence of OHCHR in the country, where a corrupt and politically-controlled judiciary continues to facilitate wide scale transfer of land from poor and marginalised groups to a small economic and political elite, and imprisons all those who dare to speak out against the rich and powerful.

28 October 2010

The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) condemns the authorities’ brutal response to peaceful protesters who demonstrated during the visit of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The incident took place during a protest in front of the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital this morning, October 28, 2010, where a group of fifty protesters gathered to seek intervention by the UN Secretary-General into the ongoing Boeung Kak land grab in Phnom Penh by Shukaku Company, owned by a ruling party senator.

Around 10:15AM, as the UN Secretary-General was visiting the Hospital with government officials, a mixed group of armed anti-riot police and administrative police officers launched a violent assault on standing protesters, pushing people to the ground, beating some with walkie-talkies and shocking others with electric batons.