LIBRARY

16 October 2024

More than 500 people in 13 land communities held celebrations from 6 to 15 October to mark World Habitat Day, despite local officials trying to block or prevent some of the events. Land communities from Kampong Speu, Koh Kong, Kampot, Banteay Meanchey, and Kampong Chhnang provinces organised public events, spoke out for their land rights, and discussed how violations threaten their livelihoods and families.

Among them were representatives from the Amleang community in Kampong Speu, which discussed their fight to defend their land after it was grabbed by Phnom Penh Sugar Company. In Trapeang Chor, the community similarly highlighted their fight for land rights amidst forced evictions linked to sugarcane plantations under the theme “Farmers Protecting Land Rights and Environmental Justice.”

6 May 2024

As Cambodia’s human rights record is reviewed at the Human Rights Council on 8 May 2024, we urge UN Member States to recommend granting debt relief and implementing free education and healthcare services, in order to reduce debts and put an urgent stop to abuses linked to microfinance loans.

LICADHO, Equitable Cambodia, Sahmakum Teang Tnaut, and FIAN Germany are releasing a series of infographics today in four languages to highlight the debilitating indebtedness faced by many Cambodians and the predatory tactics used by microfinance institutions and microloan providers to target vulnerable, poor and Indigenous communities.

UN Member States must hold Cambodia accountable during the Universal Periodic Review and make recommendations to immediately end human rights abuses in the country’s microfinance sector.

LICADHO, Equitable Cambodia, Sahmakum Teang Tnaut, and FIAN Germany submitted a report to the Human Rights Council on these concerns. The submission can be accessed here.

1 May 2024

Federations, unions, workers and civil society groups across Phnom Penh celebrated International Labour Day on Wednesday.

Events were held outside the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, near Wat Phnom and the National Assembly in Phnom Penh.

Union leaders and workers spoke about the progress they have made in the labour movement but warned against the criminalisation of unions, persecution of labour activists, and the recent regression in the workers' rights, their right to advocate for their peers and fair wages and work conditions.

26 April 2024

Youths from the Mother Nature Movement and other activists today led a commemorative walk in honour of murdered environmental activist Chut Wutty. Wutty was shot dead on 26 April 2012 whilst patrolling a protected forest area with two journalists in Koh Kong province. A military police officer, In Rattana, was also fatally shot on the same day and blamed for Wutty’s killing following a flawed investigation.

Around 20 youth activists from Mother Nature and six monks gathered in front of Phnom Penh’s Night Market this morning to begin the march. Participants painted messages on their faces and wore white headbands, conducted chants, held a short performance, and carried banners calling for justice for the murder. The march concluded at Hotel Cambodiana, where participants submitted a petition calling for an independent investigation into the killing to authorities from the Ministry of Justice.

8 March 2024

Around 2,000 people gathered across Phnom Penh and multiple provinces including Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Thom, Kampong Speu, Kampot, Koh Kong, Kratie, Preah Vihear, Pursat, Svay Rieng, Stung Treng, and Tbong Khmum to celebrate International Women’s Day 2024. Between 3 March and 8 March, land and Indigenous community members, labour rights activists, youths, children, local authorities, INGOs and local NGOs joined events to give speeches, march together, join discussion forums, sing songs, and share solidarity meals.

22 January 2024

More than 100 people gathered nearby Phnom Penh’s Wat Langka pagoda this morning to demand justice for murdered union leader Chea Vichea. The former President of the Free Trade Union of the Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) was shot and killed in broad daylight at a newspaper stall outside the pagoda on 22 January 2004.

Today, 20 years later, participants including activists, youth and other civil society representatives gathered to call for the murderers to be brought to justice. Vichea’s younger brother and now National Power Party (NPP) Vice President Chea Mony and other FTUWKC representatives read statements about the unionist’s murder. Participants also submitted a petition to Prime Minister Hun Manet’s Cabinet, calling for justice for Vichea and other murdered activists.

26 December 2023

Around 50 people from grassroots groups and unions this morning gathered in front of Correctional Center 2 (CC2) prison to call for the release of Chhim Sithar, President of the Labor Rights Supported Union of Khmer Employees of NagaWorld (LRSU).

Participants included supporters from the LRSU, Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions (CATU); Cambodian Food and Service Workers’ Federation (CFSWF); Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association (IDEA); Cambodia Tourism Workers' Union Federation (CTWUF); Cambodian Informal Economic Workers Association (CIWA); and Cambodian Youth Network (CYN); and LICADHO. Many joined with banners, balloons, and loudspeakers. They were monitored by approximately 10 plainclothes authorities, who photographed and videoed participants throughout.

10 December 2023

At least 3,000 people across Phnom Penh and 12 provinces celebrated International Human Rights Day 2023 this week. International Human Rights Day is itself observed on 10 December each year in recognition of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This year marks the 75th anniversary of the signing of the UDHR.

International Human Rights Day is itself observed on 10 December each year in recognition of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This year marks the 75th anniversary of the signing of the UDHR.

20 November 2023

International brands’ garment waste is contributing to human rights and environmental harms in Cambodia’s brick factories. During visits to brick factories from April to September 2023, LICADHO found pre-consumer garment waste this year at five operational and two permanently closed brick factories. These factories in Phnom Penh and Kandal province burnt pre-consumer garment waste to fuel brick kilns. LICADHO found waste marked with 19 international brands as evidenced by the photographs below.

8 October 2023

Communities across four provinces and Phnom Penh celebrated World Habitat Day 2023 this week, which is itself marked by the first Monday of October each year. Members of land and forest communities gathered to acknowledge the day and raise concerns about their rights to adequate housing and livelihoods. Community members also urged the Cambodian government to expedite the process of finding solutions for ongoing land disputes. At least three communities faced harassment, threats, and surveillance by authorities.

10 July 2023

Citizens, political party representatives and civil society groups, including NGOs and activists, congregated today to mark the seventh anniversary of Kem Ley’s murder. They continue their call for a genuine and impartial investigation into his death to establish the truth and secure justice for him and his family.

26 May 2023

Members of land communities from Koh Kong, Svay Rieng, Kampong Speu, Preah Vihear and Tbong Khmum provinces continued to gather to demand the release of three Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community (CCFC) staffers who were arrested on 18 May.

Theng Savoeun, the association’s president; Nhel Pheap, senior organizing officer; and Thann Hach, community facilitator officer, were charged by the Ratanakiri Provincial Court with plotting against the nation and incitement under Articles 453 and 494-495 of the Criminal Code, respectively. All three are currently in pre-trial detention in Ratanakiri prison.

Authorities have also threatened representatives from land communities in Svay Rieng, Kampong Speu, Koh Kong and Tbong Khmum provinces with arrest if they continue to gather in Phnom Penh.
This follows a series of gatherings between 19 and 22 May 2023 of land community members from Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Svay Rieng, Kampong Speu, and Kandal provinces.

22 May 2023

Members of land communities from Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk, Svay Rieng, Kampong Speu, and Kandal provinces gathered to demand the release of three Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community (CCFC) staffers who were arrested on 18 May.

Theng Savoeun, the association’s president; Nhel Pheap, senior organizing officer; and Thann Hach, community facilitator officer, were charged by the Ratanakiri Provincial Court with plotting against the nation and incitement under Articles 453 and 494-495 of the Criminal Code, respectively. Say Kouhav, the investigating judge, sent all three CCFC staff members to pre-trial detention in Ratanakiri prison at approximately 6:30 pm today. If convicted, they face between 5 and 10 years in prison.

While hundreds of community members gathered outside the Ministry of Interior to demand the three men’s release, many others were blocked by authorities from travelling to the capital. On 19 May 2023, community members from Koh Kong province were blocked by local authorities at 2 am as they attempted to drive to Phnom Penh. They were stopped for around two hours and threatened with arrest if they continued their journey. After they returned home, authorities warned community representatives that any further efforts by community members to gather in Phnom Penh would be met with arrests.

1 May 2023

Around 2,000 people celebrated International Labour Day 2023 at two key events in Phnom Penh this morning. Workers, unionists, and civil society gathered at Wat Phnom and outside the National Assembly to call for respect for labour rights and an end to harassment of unionists.

Garment workers, construction workers, informal workers, farmers, entertainment workers, domestic workers, hospitality workers, and others gathered this morning. Unionists and workers marched from Wat Phnom to the Council for the Development of Cambodia, where they gave speeches, sang songs, and shared ideas in a public forum. Another group marched from the National Assembly to Chea Vichea's statue, where they gathered to hear speeches.

8 March 2023

About 3,000 people gathered across at least 10 provinces and Phnom Penh to celebrate International Women’s Day 2023. Between 5 March and 8 March, land and indigenous community members, labour rights activists, children, youth, local authorities and NGOs joined events to give speeches, march, dance and share solidarity meals.

Participants called for equality and respect for women’s rights, as well as solutions for problems they face, such as land disputes, gender-based violence, limited access to social protection, and harmful microfinance debt.

In some communities, local authorities participated and listened to concerns, but there were also attempts at restricting several gatherings. Local authorities warned community members in Kampot province on 7 March against proceeding with their event planned for the following day, threatening that it would be forcefully dispersed. Police also monitored an event and demanded participant lists in Koh Kong province on 6 March. Both events were able to proceed.

10 December 2022

More than 7,000 people across at least 15 provinces and Phnom Penh gathered to celebrate International Human Rights Day between 4 December and 10 December 2022. Land community members gathered to discuss unresolved land conflicts in their communities; forestry communities discussed the importance and ongoing challenges of protecting natural resources; and unionists highlighted the repression of labour rights and imprisonment of union leader Chhim Sithar. NGO members gathered in Phnom Penh and across the country to participate in events led by communities, and to discuss the human rights situation.

27 November 2022

Throughout the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which runs from 25 November to 10 December, LICADHO will be sharing six videos in this album featuring labour rights activists who are standing up for just working conditions and fighting to end gender-based violence at work. Each with different backgrounds, together they represent factory workers, sex workers, entertainment workers, casino workers, teachers, tuk tuk drivers, domestic workers and more.

10 October 2022

Members of communities affected by land conflicts gathered across Cambodia in the weeks leading up to and following World Habitat Day to call on the government to ensure the right to adequate housing, and to call for a solution to their long-running land disputes.

10 July 2022

Civil society groups and political parties have gathered at multiple events to call for justice for Kem Ley and his family in recent days. Events and ceremonies were held in Phnom Penh and Takeo – Kem Ley’s home province – to mark the sixth anniversary of the political analyst’s murder.

About 70 unionists, youth activists and civil society members gathered this morning outside the Star Mart at the Caltex Bokor service station in central Phnom Penh where Kem Ley was shot dead while drinking his morning coffee on 10 July 2016. Participants laid flowers and held a monk blessing ceremony. The mart was shuttered as commemorators began to gather, while about 20 plainclothes security monitored the event.

Civil society groups continue to call for the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry, tasked with conducting an independent, impartial and effective investigation into Kem Ley’s death. The investigation into the killing was widely considered inadequate and failed to identify those beyond the shooter who may have been responsible for the murder.

1 May 2022

Several events were organised by labour unions and civil society organisations to celebrate International Labour Day 2022 in Phnom Penh on Sunday. There are approximately one thousand of workers participating in this morning celebration.