Civil society
Non-governmental organizations
Senate passes NGO law amid boycott
Cambodia’s Senate today gave its expected approval to the controversial law on associations and non-governmental organisations (LANGO), amid street protests and a boycott from opposition representatives.All 44 Cambodia People’s Party senators present voted unanimously to endorse the draft legislation, which will next week head to ...
Chhay Channyda
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/senate-passes-ngo-law-amid-boycott
Cambodian opposition party senators refuse to debate NGO draft law
Senators from Cambodia’s opposition party will not participate in a debate on controversial legislation passed by the lower house of parliament earlier this month on the regulation of nongovernmental organizations that operate in the developing country, an opposition Senate lawmaker said. ...
RFA Khmer News Staff
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/opposition-party-senators-refuse-to-participate-in-ngo-draft-law-debate-07222015162125.html
NGO law set to pass senate this week
The contentious law on associations and NGOs will likely pass the Senate this week, after it is reviewed tomorrow and Wednesday opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) senator Kong Korm said yesterday. ...
Muny Sithyna and Vincent MacIsaac
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/13459/ngo-law-set-to-pass-senate-this-week/
Cambodian opposition party senators to boycott vote on draft law on NGOs
Opposition lawmakers in Cambodia’s Senate said Thursday that they would boycott an upcoming vote in the upper house of parliament on a draft law that regulates nongovernmental organizations working in the country if senators failed to amend the legislation. ...
Yeang Socheameta
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/opposition-party-senators-to-boycott-vote-on-draft-law-on-ngos-07162015165844.html
Cambodia: UN expert urges authorities to reject bill that 'threatens' free society
United Nations human rights expert Maina Kiai on Wednesday urged Cambodia to reject a draft law that would allow authorities to shut down and criminalize any group advocating for human rights, basic freedoms and good governance, saying it is not too late to reverse the ...
India Blooms News Staff
http://indiablooms.com/ibns_new/world-details/F/3866/cambodia-un-expert-urges-authorities-to-reject-bill-that-threatens-free-society.html
Cambodian parliament passes NGO draft law despite protests
The National Assembly of Cambodia on Monday adopted a draft law on Associations and Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) despite a boycott from the opposition lawmakers and protests. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/cambodian-parliament-passes-ngo-draft-law-despite-protests-8744
Cambodian civil society groups to stage mass protest against NGO draft law
A coalition of Cambodian nongovernmental organizations will stage a peaceful protest on Monday outside parliament in the capital Phnom Penh to oppose proposed legislation that they say will restrict their activities, an official with a prominent domestic rights groups said. ...
RFA Khmer News Staff
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/civil-society-groups-to-stage-mass-protest-against-ngo-draft-law-07102015131222.html
LANGO changes ‘too little’
The government yesterday confirmed four changes to the controversial NGO law in response to widespread criticism; opponents, however, say the edits are insignificant and the legislation remains a “severe violation” of Cambodia’s constitution. ...
Taing Vida and Shaun Turton
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/lango-changes-too-little
ASEAN parliamentarians call on Cambodia to abandon restrictive, undemocratic NGO law
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) today called on the Cambodian government to abandon its proposed Law on Associations and Non-governmental Organizations (LANGO), arguing that the ruling party has pursued a fundamentally undemocratic course in attempting to secure the passage of a law that threatens ...
Asian Tribune News Staff
http://www.asiantribune.com/node/87314
Gov’t official defends draft law on NGOs
A senior government official on Wednesday defended the controversial draft law to regulate NGOs, as members of the government and civil society met in Phnom Penh. ...
Hul Reaksmey
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/govt-official-defends-draft-law-on-ngos/2855162.html
Legal expert says draft law could inhibit future NGOs
Hundreds of opponents to a controversial law to regulate NGOs met in a hotel in Phnom Penh Tuesday, as a campaign against the passage of the legislation continues. Zach Lampell, a legal advisor at the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law, told those gathered that he had ...
Hul Reaksmey
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/legal-expert-says-draft-law-could-inhibit-future-ngos/2853608.html
NGOs firm against draft law before meeting with lawmakers
NGOs remained united Tuesday in their staunch opposition to a draft law that would force all non-government groups in the country to register with the state, but were split on whether to take up the ruling CPP on its offer for an 11th-hour consultation ahead ...
Kuch Naren and Zsombor Peter
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/ngos-firm-against-draft-law-before-meeting-with-lawmakers-87533/
Asia’s orphanage industry worth millions
Private donations to orphanages in Cambodia means the government is struggling to cope with their reform, with lack of transparency and lack of safety checks. Most of Cambodia’s orphanages are financed by private donations from abroad, but no one knows exactly how much money flows ...
Asian Pacific Post News Staff
http://www.asianpacificpost.com/article/7013-asia%E2%80%99s-orphanage-industry-worth-millions.html
Cambodia’s opposition party to boycott conference on NGO draft law
Cambodia’s opposition party will boycott a national conference held by parliament to discuss a controversial draft law that would regulate nongovernmental organizations operating in the developing country, because of loopholes in the proposed legislation that would hinder the groups, an opposition lawmaker said Tuesday. ...
Mengchou Cheng and Samean Yun
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/opposition-party-to-boycott-conference-on-ngo-draft-law-07072015154522.html
Cambodian activists, monks urge lawmakers to save endangered forest
Around 100 activists, including Buddhist monks, gathered in front of Cambodia’s parliament Monday to demand that lawmakers and the country’s Forestry Administration take action against illegal logging in endangered Prey Lang forest. ...
Prach Chev
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/forest-07062015163702.html
Group claims suit against rights worker is intimidation
The international watchdog Frontline Defenders has called on Cambodian authorities to drop a defamation lawsuit against a prominent human rights worker. Ny Chakrya, head of legal assistance for the rights group Adhoc, is facing a suit filed by two court officials in Siem Reap province last ...
Hul Reaksmey
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/group-claims-suit-against-rights-worker-is-intimidation/2850618.html
Protesters outside National Assembly demand end to NGO law
Pro-democracy and rights groups in Cambodia have launched a three-day demonstration in an attempt to stop the passage of a law to regulate NGOs. The protest is expected to continue Tuesday. Organizers said that if they are not satisfied with the Assembly’s actions, they will ...
Hul Reaksmey
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/protesters-outside-national-assembly-demand-end-to-ngo-law/2841530.html
Hun Sen maintains his support for restrictive NGO draft law
Prime Minister Hun Sen has repeated that he will stand by the draft law on nongovernmental organizations currently under review by parliament, despite continued opposition by some groups which say the legislation would hinder their work in Cambodia. ...
RFA Khmer News Staff
http://bit.ly/1g4kaFy
Hun Sen, and Sam Rainsy held talk on NGOS law
Prime Minister Hun Sen and minority leader of the National Assembly Sam Rainsy held talk this morning on the controversy of the draft of law on NGOs, Associations and Unions. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/hun-sen-and-sam-rainsy-held-talk-on-ngos-law-8725
Cambodia tells foreign countries not to interfere in affairs over NGO, trade union draft bills
Ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) President and Prime Minister Hun Sen on Sunday appealed to foreign countries not to interfere in his country’s internal affairs over the establishment of the draft laws on Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Associations and on Trade Unions. ...
The Cambodia Herald News Staff
http://thecambodiaherald.com/cambodia/cambodia-tells-foreign-countries-not-to-interfere-in-affairs-over-ngo-trade-union-draft-bills-8724
Cambodia facing growing opposition to draft NGO law
Sixteen international human rights groups on Monday urged Cambodia to withdraw a proposed law they fear will muzzle government critics and severely restrict the activities of non-governmental organisations. The law would require Cambodia’s 5,000 domestic and international NGOs to report their activities and finances to the ...
Bangkok Post News Staff
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/600100/cambodia-facing-growing-opposition-to-draft-ngo-law
Opposition hopes to kill draft NGO Law at National Assembly
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy says his party will do its best to prevent the passage of a controversial draft law to regulate NGOs. Chheang Von, a lawmaker for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party and the National Assembly’s spokesman, said Sam Rainsy was only making promises ...
Neou Vannarin
http://bit.ly/1Gk4ST7
NGOs meet with opposition lawmaker over controversial law
Representatives of pro-democracy and human rights groups met with the National Assembly’s vice president, opposition lawmaker Kem Sokha, on Wednesday, repeating calls that a controversial law to regulate NGOs be tabled. ...
Neou Vannarin
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/ngos-meet-with-opposition-lawmaker-over-controversial-law/2826073.html
Release of convicted child abuser an ‘outrage’: NGOs
Seventeen NGOs involved in child protection yesterday released a joint statement expressing their “outrage” over the impending release of former Enfants du Cambodge director Philippe Broaly, who was convicted last month of sexually abusing five boys over a period of several years. ...
Khuon Narim
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/release-of-convicted-child-abuser-an-outrage-ngos-85691/