LIBRARY

22 August 2017

This morning more than 100 farmers from Chi Kha Kraom community in Koh Kong protested outside the Ministry of Land Management, demanding that the government resolve a land conflict affecting at least 15 families. Police and para police pushed the protesters from the roadside, hurting two female members of the community and smashing the group’s megaphone.

In 2010, the affected community lost their farmland to an Economic Land Concession (ELC) held by the Heng Huy Agriculture Group which cleared it for sugar production. The community has struggled to find a solution for seven years, repeatedly presenting their case at the local and national level. More than 120 members of the community travelled to Phnom Penh on 2 February 2017 and spent several months petitioning authorities.

Returning five days ago, the community met with a representative of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s cabinet who pledged to find a solution. After several hours protesting outside the land ministry today, a spokesman informed the group that their case was still being examined.

15 August 2017

Supporters of land activist and human rights defender, Tep Vanny, have marked the one year anniversary of her unjust detention by calling for international help to secure her release.

A group from Boeung Kak Lake community delivered petitions to embassies and international organisations, starting Monday at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and at six embassies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). They continued Tuesday at nine others, including the US, Japan, Germany and the European Union.

Tep Vanny was arrested a year ago and charged during a peaceful protest supporting five jailed human rights defenders who are now released on bail. She was subsequently convicted of “insulting a public official” and sentenced to six days in prison. While she was imprisoned, three long dormant cases related to other peaceful protests were re-opened in politically-motivated trials which fell far short of acceptable legal standards. She is currently serving a 30 month sentence. A further six month sentence is awaiting a final appeal decision and she is on trial on a third re-activated charge.

15 August 2017

Tep Vanny, one of Cambodia’s most prominent land activists and human rights defenders, will have spent one year in prison on 15 August for defending her community and exercising her human rights. We, the undersigned, condemn her arbitrary imprisonment. We call for her convictions to be overturned, for all ongoing politically motivated and unsubstantiated charges against her to be dropped, and for her immediate release from prison.

8 August 2017

This morning the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and sentence of land rights activist Tep Vanny on a years-old charge which was reactivated following her participation in the peaceful "Black Monday" campaign last year. Today’s verdict follows an appeal hearing on 27 July in which no plaintiffs were present, preventing cross-examination and – as in the first instance trial in February – no credible evidence was presented by the prosecution.

The appeal attempted to overturn her conviction by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on 23 February 2017 for “intentional violence with aggravating circumstances” in a trial which fell far short of acceptable legal standards. The case itself relates to a 2013 protest in Phnom Penh – over the jailing of another activist – where para-police brutally beat and injured Vanny and other protesters.

27 July 2017

The conviction of land rights activist Tep Vanny over her participation in a peaceful protest was considered by the Court of Appeal today as supporters protested outside almost a year after she was first detained. No plaintiffs or prosecution witnesses were present at the hearing, preventing cross-examination and – as in the first instance trial in February – no credible evidence was presented.

At a 2013 protest in Phnom Penh – over the jailing of another activist – para-police brutally beat and injured Vanny and other protestors. Nonetheless, she was convicted on 23 February 2017 for “intentional violence with aggravating circumstances” in a trial which fell far short of acceptable legal standards, including a lack of cross-examination of the plaintiffs (security guards known as para-police).

The appeal seeks to overturn a two years and six months’ sentence as well as fines and compensation to the plaintiffs amounting to 14 million riel ($3,500). Since her arrest on 15 August 2016, Tep Vanny has spent 346 days in detention. A verdict will be announced on 8 August 2017.

27 July 2017

We, the undersigned, call on the Court of Appeal to overturn the unjust conviction of Ms. Tep Vanny on charges of intentional violence with aggravating circumstances based on her peaceful activism at a 2013 protest, for which she received a draconian sentence of two years and six months’ imprisonment on 23 February 2017. The Court of Appeal will hear Ms. Tep Vanny's appeal against conviction tomorrow. On 15 August 2017, Ms. Tep Vanny will have spent one year in detention; her imprisonment is a clear attempt to silence one of Cambodia’s most fearless and outspoken defenders of human rights ahead of the national elections in July 2018.

3 July 2017

As Cambodia’s human rights situation continues to backslide, exposing and speaking out against state-perpetrated abuses is ever more crucial. In the last two years, however, human rights defenders and other critical or independent voices have been among the main victims of Cambodia’s fractious political situation.

In this latest in a series of briefing papers, LICADHO sets out threats facing those who stand up for human rights in today’s Cambodia. Long-standing tactics used to silence human rights defenders – judicial harassment by a politicized court system; state-sponsored violence; and intolerance of peaceful protest – have been reinforced by new incapacitating laws and targeted digital surveillance. Although the examples presented in this paper are by no means exhaustive, taken together they provide a snapshot into the kinds of abuses that human rights defenders have been routinely subjected to in Cambodia over the last two years.

9 May 2017

We, the undersigned Cambodian and international civil society organizations, condemn the removal by district and commune police authorities of banners calling for the release of six human rights defenders. Banners were removed from the offices of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC), the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) and Mother Nature in Koh Kong’s Smach Meanchey commune on 2 May 2017, as well as from three residences in Koh Kong province’s Srae Ambel district on 3 May 2017.

27 March 2017

Sor Sorn and Nat Sreynak, both from Borei Keila community, were arrested this morning as they prepared for a Black Monday campaign gathering in front of their houses. Both were detained in 7 Makara police station until 7:15PM after nearly 11 hours in detention.

The two women, who were both wearing black t-shirts, were singled out and arrested by police and para-police at Borei Keila community at about 8.45 as they prepared for a gathering to call for the release of incarcerated human rights defenders, including Boeung Kak Lake community representative Tep Vanny who was arrested during another Black Monday event on 15 August 2016. Since the campaign began in May last year, there have been at least 38 arbitrary arrests of Black Monday participants, who have mostly been detained for hours before being released without charge. Today marked Sor Sorn's fifth arrest, and Nat Sreynak's second arrest, for participating in a peaceful Black Monday gathering.

23 February 2017

We, the undersigned civil society groups, condemn today’s unjust conviction and sentencing of Tep Vanny and the latest outrageous violence perpetrated by para-police against her supporters outside Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

15 February 2017

Boeung Kak Lake representatives Tep Vanny, Bo Chhorvy, Kong Chantha and Heng Mom faced a hearing this morning to appeal convictions handed down to them last September by Phnom Penh Municipal Court in relation to a 2011 protest. Appeal Court judge Nhoung Thol will announce the verdict on 27 February. Neither plaintiff was present at the hearing, preventing cross-examination, and evidence presented was limited.

In their first trial, all four women were found guilty of obstruction of a public official with aggravating circumstances and insult and sentenced to six months' imprisonment. Since then, Tep Vanny has remained in pre-trial detention in CC2 prison – where she has now been for half a year – for separate charges relating to a protest held by Boeung Kak Lake community in 2013 in front of the Prime Minister's house. Bo Chhorvy, Kong Chantha and Heng Mom were not arrested as the sentences will not be enforced until all appeals are exhausted. None of the evidence presented at the original trial or the appeal hearing sufficiently proved the guilt of the four women.

About 40 community members and supporters from land communities and civil society groups gathered outside the court during today's hearing.

7 February 2017

Two human rights defenders have been summonsed as suspects in relation to violence that occurred when para-police blocked a peaceful World Habitat Day march in October 2016. During the altercation, both men – LICADHO’s Monitoring Manager Am Sam Ath, who was monitoring the event at the time, and Boeung Kak Lake community representative Chan Puthisak, who was documenting the march – were badly beaten by para-police in targeted attacks against them.

3 February 2017

The trial of land activist Tep Vanny was suspended just 45 minutes after it began this afternoon by judge Long Kes Phearum, who cited his own sickness and a chaotic situation for the adjournment. Tep Vanny requested for the trial to proceed.

Vanny has been in pre-trial detention since last August on charges of intentional violence with aggravating circumstances, relating to a protest held by Boeung Kak Lake community in 2013 in front of the Prime Minister's house. About 80 supporters, including community members, NGOs and monks, gathered outside the courtroom for her trial this afternoon. This case is just one of three historic cases which were re-activated in August 2016 while Vanny was awaiting trial on separate charges relating to a Black Monday protest.

As of today, she has been detained for 172 days. There is no date set for the trial resumption.

25 January 2017

Land activist Tep Vanny has been denied bail following a Supreme Court hearing conducted by judge Kim Sathavy last week.

Vanny has been in pre-trial detention since last August on charges of intentional violence with aggravating circumstances, relating to a protest held by Boeung Kak Lake community in 2013 in front of the Prime Minister's house. As of today, she has been detained for 163 days. Her trial is due to be held on 3 February. 

18 January 2017

Land activist Tep Vanny faced a 45-minute Supreme Court bail hearing this morning as community members from across Phnom Penh gathered outside in support. Supreme Court judge Kim Sathavy will announce the bail ruling on 25 January.

Vanny has been in pre-trial detention since last August on charges of intentional violence with aggravating circumstances, relating to a protest held by Boeung Kak Lake community in 2013 in front of the Prime Minister's house. This case is just one of three historic cases which were re-activated in August 2016 while Vanny was awaiting trial on separate charges relating to a Black Monday protest.

As of today, she has been detained for 156 days.

4 December 2016

International Human Rights Day celebrations kicked off this weekend with a march in Kampong Chhnang and gatherings in Phnom Penh.

In Kampong Chhnang, about 250 people from Lor Peang, Samrong, Buntheay Meas, Savong and Boeung Kak communities from around the province - which have all been affected by land conflicts - were joined by monks, NGOs and other groups for the five-kilometre march, which ended with a public forum on human rights. In Phnom Penh, about 100 people from Boeung Chhouk and Damnak Trayoeung communities also gathered to celebrate with community-wide forums on human rights, including calling for the release of imprisoned human rights defenders.

The celebrations were among the first in a series of events celebrating IHRD across the country which will take place over the next week.

31 October 2016

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, write to His Excellency Mr. Suy Sem, the Minister of Mines and Energy, to request clarification regarding sand exported overseas by Cambodia from 2007 to 2015. A Ministry spokesman has been quoted as saying that Cambodia’s global sand exports amounted to just over 17 million tons between 2007 and 2015. However, the only official export data issued to date by the Cambodian government in relation to sand exports, from the Ministry of Commerce, only discloses sand exports to Singapore for the same period, totaling about 2.8 million tons. The Cambodian government is yet to explain to which other countries it is exporting sand to, or at what price this sand is being sold for.

10 October 2016

We, the undersigned civil society groups, are outraged by this morning’s unjustified use of violence by district para-police officers during a march to peacefully celebrate World Habitat Day, and we strongly condemn this reprehensible attack.

19 September 2016

This morning, Boeung Kak Lake representatives Tep Vanny, Bo Chhorvy, Kong Chantha and Heng Mom were found guilty of obstruction of a public official with aggravating circumstances and insult relating to a November 2011 protest.

Judge Ly Sokleng sentenced all four women to six months' imprisonment after a three-hour hearing at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. Tep Vanny was sent back to pre-trial detention in CC2 prison – where she has now been for nearly five weeks – for separate charges relating to a protest held by Boeung Kak Lake community in 2013 in front of the Prime Minister's house. No special enforcement order was issued so Bo Chhorvy and Kong Chantha – as well as Heng Mom, who was tried in absentia – were not arrested as their sentence will not be enforced until all appeals are exhausted. None of the evidence presented at the trial sufficiently proved the guilt of the four women.

About 30 community members and supporters from other land communities and civil society groups gathered outside the court during the trial.

14 September 2016

This morning a group of representatives from the Boeung Kak Lake community delivered petitions to the World Bank and the embassy of the Delegation of the European Union to Cambodia – calling for intervention to secure a resolution for the community’s remaining land conflict, the release of detained activist Tep Vanny and the dropping of charges against all members of the Boeung Kak Lake community.

At the World Bank, a group of approximately 30 para-police confronted the community representatives, accusing them of obstructing entrances to the World Bank before pushing the gathering away from the building. Shortly afterwards a representative of the World Bank accepted the petition.

At the European Union, Boeung Kak Lake representatives Bov Sophea and Song Sreyleap were permitted to enter the embassy, where an assistant to the ambassador accepted the petition. After leaving the embassy Song Sreyleap delivered a short speech to the media calling on the Cambodian government to resolve the remaining land dispute and to clear all criminal charges against members of the community. The representatives pledged to follow up on the petitions.