This morning, the ninth Black Monday was marked around Phnom Penh with gatherings by land activists, students and public shows of solidarity in the city’s biggest malls.

In support of five imprisoned human rights defenders, who were thrown into prison nine weeks ago today, groups of shoppers marked Black Monday in malls around the city, wearing black in solidarity with the five rights defenders. At the same time, a morning gathering in Boeung Kak Lake community in support of Black Monday was broken up by police and Daun Penh para-police, who violently confiscated banners and materials. A group of activists from Borei Keila demonstrated outside Phnom Penh Municipality, calling for the release of the five rights defenders. Students at Royal University Phnom Penh also joined the campaign on campus.

Today’s Phnom Penh-wide Black Monday celebrations come nine weeks after four human rights defenders from NGO ADHOC and one election official were detained on spurious charges of bribery.