Human and Land Rights

សកម្មភាពរារាំង និងដាក់សំពាធ លើក្រុមធម្មយាត្រាក្រុមមិត្ត១០ធ្នូ ពីអាជ្ញាធរ និងសមត្ថកិច្ច

- by ADHOC- Cambodia

ថ្ងៃទី៤ ខែធ្នូ ឆ្នាំ២០១៤ ដែលជាថ្ងៃទី១ នៃការចាប់ផ្ដើម និមន្ត និងដើរ ដង្ហែរក្បួន ធម្មយាត្រា-សិទ្ធិយាត្រា អប់រំអំពីសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស ពី ក្រុមមិត្ត ១០ធ្នូ ដែលមាន ការចូលរួមពី សំណាក់​ ព្រះសង្ឃ និង ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ នៅតាមបណ្តោយ ផ្លូវជាតិទាំង៧ ដែលត្រូវ ធ្វើដំណើរ ចេញពីខេត្ត នានាមកក្រុងភ្នំពេញ។ ក្នុងថ្ងៃទី១ ក្នុងសកម្មភាពធម្មយាត្រា សិទ្ធិយាត្រា យើងកត់សម្គាល់ឃើញថា ធម្មយាត្រា សិទ្ធិយាត្រា តាមផ្លូវជាតិ មួយចំនួន មានការចូលរួមសម្របសម្រួល ពីសំណាក់ អាជ្ញាធរមានសមត្ថកិច្ច ចំណែក តាមបណ្តារផ្លូវជាតិ មួយចំនួន ត្រូវបានរារាំង និងហាមឃាត់ ដោយអាជ្ញាធរទៅវិញ ដែលក្នុងនោះមាន៖

-ផ្លូវជាតិលេខ២ ខេត្តតាកែវ អាជ្ញាធរខេត្តមិនអនុញ្ញាតអោយប្រារព្ធពីធីដង្ហែរក្បួន ធម្មយាត្រា-សិទ្ធិយាត្រា ដាច់ខាត ដោយតម្រូវអោយ ក្រុមរៀបចំមិត្ត១០ធ្នូ ស្នើសុំទៅក្រសួងមហា ផ្ទៃ និងក្រសួងធម្មការ និងសាសនា។

-ផ្លូវជាតិលេខ៧ ខេត្តកំពង់ចាម ត្រូវបានអាជ្ញាធរ, សមត្ថកិច្ចប៉ូលិស និងកងរាជអាវុធហត្ថ ធ្វើការរារាំង មិនអោយ ក្រុមមិត្ត១០ធ្នូ ដែលធ្វើធម្មយាត្រា-សិទ្ធិយាត្រា ស្នាក់នៅវត្តត្រពាំងព្រះ ភូមិជ្រៃវៀន ឃុំជ្រៃវៀន ស្រុកព្រៃឈរ ធ្វើអោយក្រុមមិត្ត១០ធ្នូ បន្តធម្មយាត្រា-សិទ្ធិយាត្រា ទៅមុខរកផ្ទះអ្នកភូមិចម្ងាយប្រហែល៤គីឡូម៉ែត្រទៀត។

-ផ្លូវជាតិលេខ៤ ព្រះចៅអធិការវត្តពេជ្យនិល ព្រះនាម គង់ ជោ មិនអនុញ្ញាតអោយក្រុម មិត្ត១០ធ្នូ ស្នាក់នៅទេក្នុងវត្តនេះទេ ដោយព្រះអង្គ មានពុទ្ធដិកាថា បើអោយស្នាក់នៅ ផ្សឹកព្រះអង្គ ជាមុនទៅ ពុទ្ធដិការបស់ព្រះអង្គបញ្ជាក់ថា ព្រះអង្គមានសំពាធពីសំណាក់អាជ្ញាធរណាមួយ។ សកម្មភាពខាងលើ បានបញ្ហាញអោយឃើញថា អាជាធរមានសមត្ថកិច្ច មានចេតនារារាំង រាល់សកម្មភាពទាំងឡាយណា ដែលគាំទ្រអោយមានការគោរពសិទ្ធិមនុស្សនៅកម្ពុជា។

សកម្មភាពរារាំង និងដាក់សំពាធ លើក្រុមធម្មយាត្រាក្រុមមិត្ត១០ធ្នូ ពីអាជ្ញាធរ និងសមត្ថកិច្ច Read More

The Right to Remain Silenced Expressive Rights in the Kingdom of Cambodia

- by ADHOC- Cambodia

This report outlines the challenges that Cambodian citizens face in exercising their expressive rights, particularly the freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly. It also analyses, where relevant, how the national election – held 28 July 2013 impacted these rights, and provides recommendations for a post-election climate with greater respect for expressive rights.
ADHOC has collected data from across the country to compile this report, in addition to utilizing eyewitness accounts of rights violations seen by ADHOC’s human rights monitors. This report also incorporates information from other local Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs), International NGOs (INGOs) and media reports. This report cannot exhaustively detail the numerous and excessive violations of expressive rights in Cambodia over the past few years, but it refers to nmultiple case studies in an effort to demonstrate the reality of violations of expressive rights on the ground.

On paper, expressive rights are protected in Cambodia under both domestic and international law. Articles 31, 35, 41 and 42 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia guarantee expressive rights for all Cambodian citizens. Cambodia has also an obligation under international law to respect, protect and fulfill the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, having
ratified numerous international human rights instruments which explicitly guarantee these rights. The reality, however, is

The Right to Remain Silenced Expressive Rights in the Kingdom of Cambodia Read More

ADHOC Condemns Court’s Decision Not to Release Detained Human Rights Defenders, Activists and Workers

- by ADHOC- Cambodia

Phnom Penh, 11 February 2014 – The Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC) condemns the Court’s decision today to continue to detain 21 demonstrators arrested during peaceful demonstrations in early January, 2014. ADHOC provided lawyers to 15 of the 23 people arrested at Yakjin Factory on 02 January 2014 and at the Canadia Industrial Zone on 03 January 2014.

ADHOC urges the Courts to drop all charges against the 23 demonstrators, and to compensate them for the time they have been illegally detained. Citizens of Cambodia have a constitutionally protected right to demonstrate, a right which has been denied through the use of deadly force to crackdown on demonstrators and the ongoing ban on assemblies. Four people have been killed; one young man is missing and scores more have been injured since the start of January. As yet nobody has been held to account for the violence, highlighting the culture of impunity which plagues Cambodia. The use of live ammunition on demonstrators is in breach of international standards of proportionality and has been widely condemned by rights groups and observers.

ADHOC Condemns Court’s Decision Not to Release Detained Human Rights Defenders, Activists and Workers Read More

ADHOC Statement: NO SPACE FOR FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY IN ‘FREEDOM’ PARK

- by ADHOC- Cambodia

Phnom Penh, 09 January 2014 – A group of around 50 gendarme and 20-30 Daun Penh security guards affirmed today when they dispersed a small crowd at Phnom Penh’s Freedom Park that the right to freely assemble will not be tolerated in Cambodia’s current political climate. A group of nine Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) youth activist were set to meet this morning to sing songs against violence. The planned meeting comes after the authorities have determined not to allow gatherings of more than 10 people. The youth activists also planned to discuss recent attacks against demonstrators which has left at least 6 people dead and scores injured since July 2013’s contested elections.

ADHOC Statement: NO SPACE FOR FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY IN ‘FREEDOM’ PARK Read More

ADHOC calls for Mid-Term Election to Solve Political Crisis

- by ADHOC- Cambodia

Phnom Penh, 20 December 2013 – The Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC) urges Cambodia’s two main political parties to resume dialogue and embrace an attitude of compromise for the sake of peace and stability in the country. Cambodia has been in a state of political deadlock since the 28 July 2013 elections to the National Assembly. ADHOC welcomes the commitment to peace so far expressed by both parties, as demonstrated not only in words but in the relative lack of political violence in the election and post-election period as compared to previous elections in the country.

ADHOC proposes both sides agree to a mid-term election that can provide a meaningful, lasting, democratic and most importantly peaceful solution to the current stalemate. Few countries have endured the level of political violence as Cambodia and both parties have a duty to ensure they act responsibly so that the country is not again scarred by conflict. ADHOC believes there is significant common ground between the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP). This common ground, as outlined below, can and should form the basis for an agreement to hold a mid-term election within a time-frame that is satisfactory to both parties and their supporters.

Since the July election the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) has repeatedly taken to the streets to protest what it perceives as widespread fraud and electoral irregularities. It is now threatening to block major highways. The CNRP has called for major reforms to the National Election Committee (NEC), which it claims is heavily bias toward the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). CNRP leader Mr. Sam Rainsy and his party argue that they won at least 63 seats in the election, and would have won more had the election been free and fair. The CNRP has put forward three solutions to Cambodia’s deadlock. The first of these is an electoral investigation; the second option is fresh elections and the third and final option is that Prime Minister Hun Sen resigns.

ADHOC calls for Mid-Term Election to Solve Political Crisis Read More

ADHOC Statement: SUPREME COURT MUST FREE YORM BOPHA

- by ADHOC- Cambodia

The Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC) has been paying close attention to the case of land and housing rights activist Mrs. Yorm Bopha, who was arrested by the Phnom Penh Municipal Police on 04 September 2012. The Municipal Court sentenced her to 3 years in prison on 26 December 2012 under Article 218 of the Cambodian Criminal Code: “intentional violence with aggravating circumstances” and ordered her to pay 30 000 000 riels (7500$) in compensation. Her husband, Mr. Lous Sakhorn was sentenced under the same provision but released on bail.
The Appeal Court heard the appeal of Yorm Bopha over two days on 05 and 14 June 2013. The court rejected her appeal but suspended one year of her sentence.

ADHOC calls on the Supreme Court to drop all charges against Yorm Bopha and release her immediately.

ADHOC Statement: SUPREME COURT MUST FREE YORM BOPHA Read More

AI Statement: Cambodia: Global call to release Yorm Bopha ahead of Supreme Court appeal

- by ADHOC- Cambodia

Cambodia must free housing rights activist Yorm Bopha, Amnesty International said as it launched a worldwide campaign for her release just days before the country’s Supreme Court hears her final appeal on 22 November.

“Yorm Bopha is a prisoner of conscience who is behind bars purely because of her human rights activism. She must be freed immediately and unconditionally,” said Isabelle Arradon, Amnesty International’s Deputy Asia-Pacific Director.

“Thousands of our members and supporters around the world are taking action on Yorm Bopha’s behalf, calling on the Cambodian authorities to finally set her free.”

A 30-year old mother of one, Yorm Bopha has been locked up since her arrest in September 2012 on accusations of planning an assault on two men. She was convicted in December last year for “intentional violence with aggravating circumstances,” despite no evidence against her and inconsistent witness testimonies.

AI Statement: Cambodia: Global call to release Yorm Bopha ahead of Supreme Court appeal Read More

Statement: CHRAC Demands Investigation into Violent Crackdown Against SL-Garment Factory Workers.

- by ADHOC- Cambodia

Phnom Penh, 12 November 2013 – The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) – a coalition of 21 NGOs working in the field of the promotion Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law in the Kingdom of Cambodia– deplores the excessive use of force by the authorities this morning at a demonstration by workers from the Singaporean owned SL-Garment factory – which makes clothes for clothing giants Gap and H&M. Tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets and live rounds were fired to disperse the workers, after demonstrators and police threw rocks at each other in Stung Meanchey District, Phnom Penh. Mrs. Em Sokorm, 49, a local rice vendor was shot dead around 9:30am. Numerous others were injured and early reports to the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC) suggest that at least 27 people have been arrested, including monks and youths living at the Stung Meanchey Pagoda.

Statement: CHRAC Demands Investigation into Violent Crackdown Against SL-Garment Factory Workers. Read More

Boeung Kak Lake Protesters Demonstrate Outside Prime Minister Hun Sen’s House

- by ADHOC- Cambodia

At 8 am on the morning of April 22, 2013, around 80 former Boeung Kak Lake residents staged a protest in front of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) headquarters in Phnom Penh. They were requesting that the party president, H.E. Chea Sim, help them solve their longstanding land conflict with Shukaku Inc., a politically connected company that has begun work on a multi-million dollar development where their homes once stood. The former residents have been given inadequate compensation and have been repeatedly harassed and intimidated by the authorities. They were also demanding the release of Yorm Bopha, a former Boeung Kak resident and prominent activist jailed in December 2012 on charges widely perceived as baseless. There is very thin evidence connecting her with the crime she is purported to have committed and her sentence is likely related to her advocacy work.

Boeung Kak Lake Protesters Demonstrate Outside Prime Minister Hun Sen’s House Read More