Report co-written by Equitable Cambodia looking at impact of sugar plantations.

On Tuesday, 9 Sept. 2014, Cambodian authorities detained two employees of Equitable Cambodia (EC) without just cause. Ms. Meg Fukuzawa, a research consultant who has dual citizenship in the United States and Japan, and Mr. Lida Sok, a Cambodian research officer, had been in Oddar Meanchey province since last Monday to conduct field research on the human rights impacts of forced evictions resulting from the development of industrial sugarcane plantations. The plantations are owned by the Mitr Phol Group, one of Coca-Cola’s top three global suppliers. Ms. Fukuzawa and Mr. Sok were working to collect research data to provide to the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, which is investigating Mitr Phol’s activities in Cambodia.

Around 4:30 p.m., four police vehicles attended Bos village where Ms. Fukuzawa and Mr. Sok had been conducting their research. In 2008, the rice fields of approximately 100 families in Bos village were seized to make way for sugarcane plantations.[1]

When officers approached the researchers, they immediately asked Ms. Fukuzawa and Mr. Sok to accompany them to the Oddar Meanchey provincial police station. The officers’ requests were denied, as by then, it was dark and the EC staff were concerned about traveling by motorcycle at night. An hour later, Long Sokun, the Deputy Police Chief of Oddar Meanchey, arrived at the village and asked to see Ms. Fukuzawa’s immigration documents. Ms. Fukuzawa did not have her passport in her immediate possession.

At approximately 8:30 p.m., a police vehicle attended Bos village and Ms. Fukuzawa and Mr. Sok were transported under duress to the provincial police station. The officers did not inform them of the reason for their detention, nor was an arrest warrant produced.

They were held in police custody and interrogated about their research activities for over three hours, after which Mr. Sok was released from police custody. However, he chose to remain with his colleague to act as her translator and to provide support while she remained in custody. At the police station, Ms. Fukuzawa attempted to show both Mr. Long Sokun and his assistant scanned copies of her Japanese and American passports, which were sent to Mr. Sok’s telephone. On both occasions, she was told that it was not necessary to provide such documents.

Ms. Fukuzawa was held in police custody overnight and transported to the Department of Immigration in Phnom Penh on the morning of 10 Sept. 2014. After an interview was conducted with the Director of the Department of Immigration, Ms. Fukuzawa was released from police custody at 3:30 p.m.

Police indicated to the researchers that they were asked to leave the village for their own safety because it was a remote area. Neither Ms. Fukuzawa nor Mr. Sok were concerned about their safety while undertaking their research at the village. The community members had treated the visitors with respect and hospitality. It was only after police arrived and detained them against their will that Ms. Fukuzawa and Mr. Sok felt their safety was at risk.

Ultimately, the authorities claimed that Ms. Fukuzawa was detained because she could not produce her original passport when questioned by the police in Oddar Meanchey. No charges were laid nor fines imposed.

Equitable Cambodia condemns the arbitrary detention of its employees, both in Oddar Meanchey and Phnom Penh. The absence of a passport upon request by police does not result in criminal sanctions. Moreover, neither individual was engaging in illegal activities. As such, there were no credible grounds to justify Ms. Fukuzawa and Mr. Sok’s detention in police custody, the former lasting nearly 24 hours. Without warrant or reasonable grounds to seek detention, police and immigration officers violated Ms. Fukuzawa and Mr. Sok’s constitutional right to not be arbitrarily detained and deprived them of their liberty without just cause.[2]

We the undersigned condemn the continued intimidation and harassment of human rights defenders in Cambodia. We call upon the competent authorities to investigate those responsible for ordering the illegal and unjust detention of Meg Fukuzawa and Lida Sok.

Mr. Eang Vuthy, Executive Director
Equitable Cambodia (EC)
Phone: (+855) 12 791 700
Email: vuthy@equitablecambodia.org

Ms. Naly Pilorge, Director
The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO)
Phone: (+855) 12 803 650
Email: director@licadho-cambodia.org

Ms. Pry Phally Phuong, Executive Director
Building Community Voices (BCV)
Phone: (+855) 89 885 625
Email: phuongbcv@gmail.com

Mr. Seng Sokheng, Secretariat Coordinator
Community Peace-Building Network (CPN)
Phone: (+855) 92 324 668
Email: seng.sokheng@gmail.com

Mr. Sia Phearum, Director
Housing Rights Task Force (HRTF)
Phone: (+855) 60 313 451
Email: sd@hrtfcambodia.org

Mr. David Pred, Managing Director
Inclusive Development International (IDI)
Phone: +1 (917) 280-2705
Email: david@inclusivedevelopment.net

Ms. Shalmali Guttal, Staff
Focus on the Global South
Phone: (+66-2) 218 7363/4/5
Email: s.guttal@focusweb.org
Nay Chakrya, Head of the Human Rights and Legal Aid Section,
Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC)
Phone: (+855) 011 274 959
Email: adhoc@forum.org.kh

Mr. Yeng Virak, Executive Director
Community Legal Education Center (CLEC)
Phone: (+855) 12 801 235
Email: virakyeng@clec.org.kh
Mr. Tek Vannara, Executive Director
The NGO Forum on Cambodia (NGOF)
Phone: (+855) 23 214 429, Ext. 106
Email: vannara@ngoforum.org.kh

Mr. Sar Mora, President
Cambodian Food and Service Workers' Federation (CFSWF)
Phone: (+855) 23 455 9991
Email: contact@cfswf.org

Mr. Theng Savoeun, Secretariat Coordinator
Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community (CCFC)
Phone: (+855) 12 707 381
Email: ccfc.cambodia@gmail.com

Mr. Heng Sam Orn
Independent Democracy of Independent Economy Association (IDEA)
Email: samorn63@gmail.com

Tim Malay, President
Cambodia Youth Network (CYN)
Phone: (+855) 17 990 689
Email: malaytim@gmail.com

Mr. EE Sarom, Acting Executive Director
Sahmakum Teang Tnaut (STT)
Phone: (+855) 89 666 036
Email: sarom@teangtnaut.com

[1] LICADHO, Bos/O’Bat Moan Village in Konkriel Commune, Samroang District, Oddur Meanchey Province (Briefing Paper by LICADHO, 12 October 2009)

[2] Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia, 1993, Article 38(3): The prosecution, arrest, police custody or detention of any person shall not be done, except in accordance with the law.

PDF: Download full statement in English - Download full statement in Khmer
MP3: Listen to audio version in Khmer