People gather outside the Ministry of Interior on 19 May 2023 to protest against the arrest of CCFC staff.

More than 100 community members and land rights activists gathered in front of the Ministry of Interior today to demand the release of three Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community (CCFC) staffers who were arrested yesterday.

Community members from Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Svay Rieng, Kampong Speu, and Kandal provinces gathered in front of the Ministry of Interior to urge authorities to release Theng Savoeun, CCFC president; Nhel Pheap, a senior officer at the association; and Thann Hach, a project officer. Reasons for their arrests currently remain unclear and the three remain in detention in Ratanakiri province.

Six community representatives were permitted to enter the ministry to submit a petition. The ministry accepted the petition but rejected the community’s request to release the three arrested staffers.

Additional community members from Koh Kong province were blocked on the road by authorities at 2am this morning as they attempted to reach the capital in vehicles to join the gathering. They were stopped for about two hours, after which most members returned home.

The event was monitored by around 30 authorities, including police and plainclothes authorities who recorded community members.