LIBRARY

13 June 2016

This morning, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced three CNRP youth members to seven years’ imprisonment for their participation in the July 15, 2014 protest in Freedom Park.

The three men – Yea Thong, Roeun Chetra and Yun Kimhour – were found guilty of participation in an insurrectionary movement under Articles 456 and 457 of the Cambodian Criminal Code. Throughout the trial, conducted by judge Mong Mony Sophea, the defence lawyers were blocked from questioning key witnesses and the prosecution produced limited evidence to substantiate their claims.

All three men have been detained since August 2015. They join 11 other CNRP supporters and officials similarly convicted under insurrection charges and sentenced to between seven and 20 years’ imprisonment in relation to the same protest in July 2015.

27 May 2016

This morning, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court convicted three members of the Prime Minister’s Bodyguard Unit with the brutal beating of two CNRP MPs, Nhay Chamroeun and Kong Sophea, outside the gates of the National Assembly during an anti-Kem Sokha protest on October 26 last year.

The three soldiers - Mao Hoeung, Sot Vanny and Chhay Sarith - were sentenced to four years’ imprisonment with three years suspended for acts of intentional violence with aggravating circumstances under Article 218 of the Cambodian Criminal Code. The judge cited the confession of the three and alleged provocation by the victims as mitigating circumstances with regard to sentencing. Property damage charges under Article 411 were dropped due to lack of evidence.

During the trial, the court repeatedly closed down any questioning on the broader involvement of the Prime Minister’s Bodyguard Unit in both the October 26 protest, and the subsequent beatings.

16 May 2016

This morning, five land community representatives were arrested as people across and outside Cambodia marked the second “Black Monday Campaign” event to call for the release of five human rights defenders detained two weeks ago.

Hundreds of people in Cambodia and abroad are participating in the second "Black Monday Campaign” event, sharing images of themselves wearing black and of the five detained human rights defenders on social media. Boeung Kak Lake community also held an event in their community this morning to call for the release of the five. The social media campaign comes days after calls by Prime Minister Hun Sen to ban colour-coordinated demonstrations following the first “Black Monday" event last week, in which participants dressed in black to call for the release of five human rights defenders. During last week’s events eight human rights workers and activists were detained for wearing black clothes as they attempted to join a planned demonstration to call for the release of the five human rights defenders.

The second “Black Monday Campaign” event has already resulted in further detentions. At about 9am, five women from Thmor Kol, Borei Keila and the former Boeung Kak Lake communities, all wearing black, were arrested outside Chenla theatre in Phnom Penh. The five women - Chray Nim, Im Srey Touch, Yin Shrin, Pouk Sopin and Ngov Nary - are currently detained in Toul Kork district police office.

10 May 2016

Yesterday’s detention of eight human rights workers and activists was an egregious violation of the right to freedom of expression in Cambodia, civil society groups said today. The detentions, which followed the pre-trial detention of four other rights workers and an election official last week, highlight an alarming surge in the Cambodian government’s latest campaign of intimidation against civil society.

9 May 2016

This morning, two senior human rights workers and four land rights activists were arrested as they attempted to make their way to a demonstration that was planned to take place outside Prey Sar’s CC1 and CC2 prisons.

The demonstration was the first “Black Monday” event in which participants dressed in black to call for the release of five human rights defenders detained a week ago following their arrest by the Anti-Corruption Unit. Their detention has been widely criticised both inside and outside Cambodia as an attack against civil society with multiple organisations calling for their release.

Police road blocks on the way to Prey Sar and at Boueng Kak community prevented those who wanted to participate from making their way to the event. The two men, the executive director of NGO Sahmakum Teang Tnaut and a deputy director of LICADHO, were part of a group who were stopped around 2 km from Prey Sar. They are currently being held at Dangkao district police station along with one member of Borei Keila community. Three members of Boeung Kak community were arrested as they attempted to leave the Boeung Kak area and are being held at Daun Penh police station.

2 May 2016

We, the undersigned human rights and other civil society organisations, condemn in the strongest terms the politically-motivated charging of six human rights defenders from a Cambodian human rights group, the country’s National Election Committee (NEC) and the United Nation’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCHR). The targeting of these individuals, five of whom were sent to pre-trial detention today, is the latest escalation in a far-reaching government assault on civil society ahead of upcoming local and national elections, and is a clear reprisal for support provided by rights workers in a politically-sensitive case.

1 May 2016

About 8am this morning, the five civil society members previously detained at the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) were transferred to the Phnom Penh Court of First Instance where they expect to be charged.

The group, four human rights workers from ADHOC and one deputy secretary-general of the National Election Committee, have been detained for three days while undergoing questioning by the ACU in relation to an alleged extramarital affair by opposition leader Kem Sokha. The decision by the ACU to detain the five has been strongly condemned by civil society groups.

29 April 2016

We, the undersigned civil society organisations, strongly condemn the summonsing and interrogation of civil society members for conducting vital and legitimate activities to protect human rights. This amounts to an outrageous misuse of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) as a political tool to attack and intimidate civil society.

29 April 2016

The European Union (EU) must use the upcoming human rights dialogue with Cambodia to demand that authorities stop the harassment, arbitrary arrest, and imprisonment of opposition MPs, members, and their supporters, FIDH and its member organizations, the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC) and the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), said today. This year’s EU-Cambodia human rights dialogue is scheduled to take place from 2 to 4 May in Phnom Penh.

28 April 2016

This morning, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court began the trial of three members of the Prime Minister’s Bodyguard Unit charged with the brutal beating of two CNRP MPs, Nhay Chamroeun and Kong Sophea, outside the gates of the National Assembly during an anti-Kem Sokha protest on October 26 last year.

The three soldiers, Mao Hoeung, Sot Vanny and Chhay Sarith are charged with intentional violence with aggravating circumstances and intentional property damage with aggravating circumstances under Criminal Code Articles 218 and 411, respectively. Despite clear evidence of additional perpetrators, the authorities closed the official investigation after the three men came turned themselves in to the police.

Chhay Sarith admitted responsibility for the violence against one of the MPs, citing verbal provocation and - contrary to previous denials - confirmed the identity of the defendants as members of the elite bodyguard unit. However, lawyers for the MPs were prevented from questioning the role of the unit in the violence and wider anti-CNRP protest by the trial judge after complaints from the prosecutor and defence lawyers.

17 March 2016

This morning, the Appeal Court began hearings against the convictions of 11 CNRP supporters and officials arrested in late 2014 for their involvement in a July 2014 pro-CNRP protest which turned violent.

The 11 were convicted of charges relating to insurrection and violence in July 2015 following a farcical trial and sentenced to between seven and 20 years’ imprisonment. Today’s hearing covered mostly procedural grounds, with the Appeal Court set to return to the case at a later date. Judges also denied a request from one of the 11, Meach Sovannara, to access medical treatment outside the country.

7 March 2016

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day. To mark the event LICADHO is releasing a new audio book and summary audio clip titled Getting Away With It: The Treatment of Rape in Cambodia’s Justice System. Both the book and the summary present evidence of the immense failure of the Cambodian justice system to properly investigate and prosecute cases of rape involving women and children. They provide details of multiple systemic flaws – corruption, discriminatory attitudes towards women and girls, misinterpretation of the law, and lack of resources – which, together, mean that many perpetrators of rape receive only very lenient punishment or go completely unpunished.

23 February 2016

In response to the brutal attack on protesting workers on February 6, 2016, we, the undersigned trade unions, community representatives and civil society organizations (CSOs), declare our strong support for the ongoing boycott of Capitol Co. Ltd, also known as Capitol Tours, and call upon the general public to join the boycott in solidarity with the wrongfully dismissed Capitol employees, and the wider Cambodian trade union movement. Capitol Tours has relentlessly violated the labor rights and fundamental freedoms of its employees and we wish to unreservedly condemn the company’s actions.

23 February 2016

This morning, over 200 union activists gathered outside CC1 prison in Phnom Penh to call for the release of two men: bus driver and Cambodian Transport Workers Federation (CTWF) member Nan Vanna, and Cambodia Informal Worker Association (CIWA) official Ruos Siphay. Both have been detained since February 6 and charged with aggravated intentional violence, obstructing public officials and obstructing a public road.

Union leader Ath Thorn was among today’s supporters. Along with three other union leaders – Kong Athit (President of C.CAWDU and CLC), Eang Kim Hong (C.CAWDU) and Sok Chun Oeung (CIWA) – he has also been charged with the same offences, although not yet detained.

Vanna and Ruos Siphay were arrested by anti-demonstration police on February 6 during a violent attack on former Capitol Tours bus drivers as they demonstrated alongside supporting union CIWA. Both imprisoned men sustained injuries during the protest.

15 February 2016

In response to the latest unjust charges brought against three further members of the environmental NGO Mother Nature, we, the undersigned civil society organizations (CSOs), declare our support for Mother Nature, and condemn the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC)’s crackdown on the organization and Cambodian civil society in general.

8 February 2016

Former Capitol Tours bus driver Nan Vanna and Cambodia Informal Worker Association (CIWA) official Ruos Siphay were sent to CC1 prison this afternoon after being charged with aggravated intentional violence, obstructing public officials and obstructing a public road. Union leaders Ath Thorn, Kong Athit, Sok Chun Oeung and Eang Kim Hong have also been charged with the same offences, although not yet detained.

Nan Vanna and Ruos Siphay were arrested on Saturday during a violent attack on former Capitol Tours bus drivers as they demonstrated with supporting union CIWA. Both men sustained injuries during their arrest by anti-demonstration police, who mostly stood by while members of Cambodia for Confederation Development Association (CCDA) inflicted a savage beating on the drivers and their supporters using hammers and sticks. No CCDA members who openly committed violence were arrested. None of the four union leaders charged were present during the violence.

About 70 supporters gathered outside Phnom Penh Municipal Court from this morning to call for the release of the two men. All six men – as well as unspecified ‘unidentified individuals’ – face between two and six years in prison after being charged under Articles 218 and 503 of the Criminal Code and Article 80 of the Traffic Law this afternoon.

4 February 2016

This morning, the Court of Appeal upheld the convictions of 13 workers charged with aggravated intentional violence, aggravated intentional destruction of property, obstruction and insult. The charges relate to deadly clashes between striking workers and mixed police and military forces – who shot and killed at least four people, leaving scores more injured – on Veng Sreng Road in January 2014.

The appeal hearing, held on January 27, 2016, was conducted in the absence of the defendants and their lawyers, who had been denied a request to delay the hearing in order to inform defendants. Plaintiffs – comprised of mixed police and military police forces – claimed that state forces had used only wooden batons and tear gas during the lethal clampdown, in defiance of witnesses and footage showing their use of live ammunition.

The appeal hearing of 10 further workers and human rights defenders arrested during clashes on January 2, 2014 has been delayed indefinitely. The original trial of all 23, in May 2014, was characterized by a total absence of fair trial rights and a clear lack of judicial impartiality. No one has yet been held accountable to the four deaths, dozens of hospitalisations and one disappearance during the two days of state violence, which ended a period of mass protest by garment workers and pro-opposition party supporters.

25 January 2016

We, the undersigned Cambodian civil society groups, urge US Secretary of State John F. Kerry to call on the Royal Government of Cambodia to commit to upholding human rights and democratic obligations as a condition of strong and prosperous relations with the United States of America. During the Secretary of State's visit to Phnom Penh ahead of the US-ASEAN special summit at Sunnylands we request him to consider the numerous actions of the Cambodian government that clash with the fundamental values of the United States of America and are harmful to the rights of Cambodian citizens and the economic growth of Cambodia.

11 January 2016

This audio book contains the edited highlights of a radio show that was originally broadcast during the 2015 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign. The show, titled "Unite against Impunity for Rape in Cambodia" accompanied publication of the report "Getting Away With It: The Treatment of Rape in Cambodia's Justice System" and includes a discussion of the main findings and recommendations of the report as well as an interview with the father of a rape victim.

17 December 2015

To celebrate International Human Rights Day (IHRD), about 10,000 people from rural and urban communities participated in 20 marches and events across the country from December 6 to December 10. These were organized by the informal network Friends of December 10th, which includes youth, land communities, associations, farmers, monks, and NGOs.

On December 10, groups peacefully marched from various locations in Phnom Penh toward the Ministry of Justice to demand that the government resolve Cambodia’s land conflict epidemic; reform the judicial system and release human rights defenders and activists; raise the minimum wage and respect labour rights; end state-sponsored violence; and respect freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly. This year’s IHRD theme was ‘Justice’.