Ministries and other national bodies
Ministry of Interior
Mafia ‘not welcome’
Cambodia’s National Police chief Neth Savoeun has told foreign embassies that it won’t tolerate “foreign mafia” in the Kingdom, in what appears to be a thinly veiled message to Russia concerning recent conflict between Russian nationals in Sihanoukville. According to the statement, Savoeun has been ...
Vong Sokheng and Shaun Turton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/mafia-not-welcome
Cambodia, Australia further discuss refugee resettlement plan
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong met with Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton on Thursday to further discuss a refugee resettlement plan following an agreement struck by the two countries in September. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/cambodia-australia-further-discuss-refugee-resettlement-plan-8297
Drug smuggling suspects questioned at court
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Wednesday began questioning members of a suspected drug smuggling ring who are accused of trafficking crystal methamphetamine into the country from Laos, according to a police official. ...
Saing Soenthrith
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/drug-smuggling-suspects-questioned-at-court-79561/
Police arrest four smuggling crystal meth from Laos
Police arrested four men in Phnom Penh’s Chbar Ampov district on Sunday on suspicion of smuggling drugs from Laos, confiscating more than half a kilogram of crystal methamphetamine in the bust, officials said Monday. ...
Saing Soenthrith
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/police-arrest-four-smuggling-crystal-meth-from-laos-79356/
Convicted dissident gets green light to register party
The Interior Ministry has given Cambodian dissident Sourn Serey Ratha permission to proceed with the registration of a political party despite the self-exiled government critic’s recent conviction in absentia for plotting an attack on the state. ...
Hul Reaksmey
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/convicted-dissident-gets-green-light-to-register-party-79308/
Police close orphanage over child sex claims
Police shut down the Our Home orphanage and school in Phnom Penh on Thursday, two days after child sex abuse allegations led to the arrest of its director—a former head of the anti-pedophile NGO Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE), which carried out the investigation. ...
Ben Sokhean and Simon Henderson
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/police-close-orphanage-over-child-sex-claims-79194/
Sihanoukville governor removed
Chin Sarin has been removed as Sihanoukville’s governor, according to the Interior Ministry, less than four months after the city’s police chief was sacked amid criticism that he was sleeping on the job as a violent crime wave swept through the seaside tourist hub. ...
Khuon Narim
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/sihanoukville-governor-removed-90379/
Banh says military shows bias toward the gov’t
Defense Minister Tea Banh joked Tuesday that the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) are “biased to the right people” in protecting the government from destabilizing political agitators. Speaking at the annual review of the military’s activities at the Defense Ministry, General Banh said the armed forces ...
Mech Dara
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/banh-says-military-shows-bias-toward-the-govt-79059/
Release plan ignores issue: org
Local rights group Licadho yesterday praised the government’s plan to release a number of incarcerated women who are pregnant or have their children with them in prison within the next week, but said deeper reforms are needed. In a statement, the NGO said it welcomed an ...
Alice Cuddy and Chhay Channyda
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/release-plan-ignores-issue-org
Three men arrested, one shot by Thai forces
A Cambodian national was shot and two others arrested in Thailand last week while allegedly smuggling drugs across the border, officials said yesterday. ...
Taing Vida
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/three-men-arrested-one-shot-thai-forces
After deportation, opposition wants Vietnamese out
After the government deported Spanish environmental activist Alex Gonzalez-Davidson on Monday, the opposition CNRP has called on the Interior Ministry to turn its attention to thousands of Vietnamese immigrants living in the country illegally. ...
Ouch Sony
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/after-deportation-opposition-wants-vietnamese-out-78762/
Amid overcrowding, prison numbers rise
Prison overcrowding continues to be a major issue plaguing Cambodia, Ministry of Interior officials said on Monday, as they revealed a 3 per cent increase in population at correctional facilities and prisons nationwide. In 2014, the number of prisoners rose from 14,702 in 2013 to 15,165 ...
Pech Sotheary and Sarah Taguiam
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/amid-overcrowding-prison-numbers-rise
‘I will come back,’ says deported activist
Referring to Cambodia as “my country”, Alex Gonzalez-Davidson, a vocal environmental activist and Spanish national who was deported Monday, yesterday vowed to return and continue his struggle to save the Areng Valley. ...
Sean Teehan and Kevin Ponniah
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/i-will-come-back-says-deported-activist
Union leader lodges complaints over alleged death threat
Union leader Pav Sina on Monday filed a complaint with the Interior Ministry after an administrator at a Chinese-owned window factory in Svay Rieng province allegedly told three other members of his union that some factory owners were pooling money in order to have Mr. ...
Mech Dara
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/union-leader-lodges-complaints-over-alleged-death-threat-78559/
More trafficked in 2014: gov’t
A mother whose daughter was trafficked into the Malaysian sex industry has pleaded with lawmakers to help rescue her child, as new figures from Cambodia’s Interior Ministry reveal an upswing in human trafficking victims rescued last year. According to the ministry, although sex trafficking cases ...
Sen David, Buth Reaksmey Kongkea and Pech Sotheary
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/more-trafficked-2014-govt
Activist Alex arrested
Outspoken environmental activist Alex Gonzalez-Davidson has been arrested by Interior Ministry officers and taken in an unmarked car to the Ministry of Interior, a rights group and witnesses have said. Cheang Sophos, a senior investigator for local rights group Licadho, said that Gonzalez-Davidson was arrested at ...
Tat Oudom and May Titthara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/activist-alex-arrested
Cambodia seeks to pardon women in jail with children
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen said Monday that his government will seek the pardon and release of female convicts who are pregnant or have children living with them inside prisons, following a report by a human rights group which took authorities to task for neglecting ...
Morm Moniroth
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/pardons-for-jailed-women-with-children-02232015165148.html
Gov’t waits to deport activist with expired visa
An immigration official said Sunday that his department would wait for orders before moving to deport environmental activist Alex Gonzalez-Davidson, whose visa the government refused to renew after it expired Friday. ...
Mech Dara and Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/govt-waits-to-deport-activist-with-expired-visa-78500/
UN hamstrung in Ratanakkiri as more montagnards arrive
Local officials in Ratanakkiri province are actively preventing a team of U.N. workers in the area from making any attempt to reach nearly 40 Montagnard asylum seekers now hiding in the province. ...
Aun Pheap and Colin Meyn
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/un-hamstrung-in-ratanakkiri-as-more-montagnards-arrive-78387/
Government standing by decision to not renew activist’s visa
The Ministry of Interior on Wednesday said it was standing by its decision to not renew the visa of outspoken environmental activist Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson in the face of mounting pressure from fellow activists, NGOs, unions, students and monks—even opposition leader Sam Rainsy—to reverse course. ...
Khuon Narim and Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/government-standing-by-decision-to-not-renew-activists-visa-78270/
Pyrotechnics pariahs for New Year festivities
Authorities have vowed to seize fireworks and punish anyone caught letting off explosives as Lunar New Year celebrations get under way today. The warning by the Phnom Penh municipality came as the Interior Ministry revealed plans to station more than 20 fire trucks around the city ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/pyrotechnics-pariahs-new-year-festivities
Cambodia considers royal pardon for incarcerated mothers
Around 40 Cambodian women in prison with young children were being considered for royal pardons ahead of the Khmer New Year, an official said on Tuesday, amid criticism of their condition. ...
The Sun Daily News Staff
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1332716
Hun Sen calls for urgent measure against judge releasing tycoon Thong Sarath’s parents
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday has proposed the Supreme Council of Magistracy to take urgent measure on a judge responsible for releasing parents of fugitive Thong Sarath on bail. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://bit.ly/1L9D5Hh
Sam Rainsy asks government to let outspoken activist stay
Opposition CNRP president Sam Rainsy on Monday weighed in on behalf of environmental activist Alex Gonzalez-Davidson, asking the Interior Ministry to reverse a decision to not renew the Spanish national’s visa over a traffic incident from September. ...
Khuon Narim
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/sam-rainsy-asks-government-to-let-outspoken-activist-stay-78095/