Today, groups, communities, and monks are releasing balloons in 57 places in Phnom Penh and the provinces in support of 23 rights defenders and workers arrested last month. After two were released on bail on February 8, the remaining 21 are set to appear at a bail hearing tomorrow at the Appeals Court. These actions are happening in conjunction with today’s global day of action for the arrested rights defenders and workers, which will see international unions IndustriALL, Global Union and ITUC mobilizing workers around the world to protest at Cambodian embassies in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Canberra, Berlin, Brussels, Geneva, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, London, and Seoul.

This morning, 100 land activists delivered a petition calling for their release to the Ministry of Justice. Several NGO representatives attempted to deliver a joint civil society petition with 197 signatures to the Vietnamese embassy but their petition was not accepted. At 10am, the Pochentong airport area community will release balloons at their community center.

At 11:30am, in over 40 locations throughout Phnom Penh, groups will gather to release 23 balloons. A larger group will release balloons in front of the Royal Palace. Other groups will simultaneously release balloons in Siem Reap, Poipet, Kampong Som, and Kampot.

Additionally, people from eight unions and NGOs plan to march to the US, Chinese, French, and British embassies to deliver a petition calling for the release of the jailed protesters in January’s violent clampdown and for a $160 minimum wage for garment workers. Their march will culminate at the Royal Palace at 11:30am, where they will join the large group to release balloons.