The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) is deeply concerned about arbitrary restrictions placed on freedom of assembly and freedom of expression in Cambodia, and about the level of violence against peaceful public marchers, demonstrators and labor strikers. In the interests of protecting these freedoms, in order to promote democratic public debate vital to good governance, CHRAC makes the following recommendations:

To the Royal Government of Cambodia:
- Acknowledge the right of all Cambodians to peacefully assemble in public to express their opinions and concerns to the government and other institutions.
- Recognize that public gatherings can only be prevented in exceptional circumstances, for legitimate and clearly-defined reasons of national security or public order.
- Review the 1991 Law on Demonstrations and its practical implementation by local authorities to ensure it is not used to arbitrarily restrict the freedoms guaranteed by Cambodia’s Constitution.
- Instruct all local authorities and police that peaceful forms of public expression cannot be banned and dispersed, and that violence or arrests cannot be used against participants.
- Ensure prompt action is taken against officials at any level who violate Cambodians’ freedom of expression and freedom of assembly, such as those who arbitrarily ban public gatherings, or arrest or use violence against participants.

To Local Authorities including police & military police in Cambodia:

- Acknowledge the right of all Cambodians to peacefully assemble in public to express their opinions and concerns to the government and other institutions.
- Recognize that public gatherings can only be prevented in exceptional circumstances, for legitimate and clearly-defined reasons of national security or public order.
- Provide clear written justifications for any banning of a public event, and enter into a dialogue with the organizers to find a solution which allows the event to be held while addressing any legitimate security or public order issues. - Provide security for the participants of public marches, demonstrations or labor strikes, including security from violence from any counter-demonstrators.
- Ensure that arrests of marchers, demonstrators or strikers are only made in strict accordance with the law, in response to the committing of actual crimes, and that violence is never used against participants who are acting peacefully.

To the International Donor Community:

- Urge the Royal Government of Cambodia to fully respect and protect the freedoms of expression and assembly in Cambodia, as the foundation stone of a democratic society. - Vigilantly monitor the freedoms of expression and assembly in Cambodia, and voice strong concern to the Royal Government of Cambodia about any incidents in which those freedoms are arbitrarily restricted and violated.

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