Ministries and other national bodies
Ministry of Interior
NGOs told to file annual reports or face closure
The Ministry of Interior warned NGOs and associations yesterday to submit their annual financial reports or face legal action, including being shut down. ...
Khuon Narim
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5095401/ngos-told-file-annual-reports-face-closure/
More than 1,700 ethnic Vietnamese families’ documents taken
The process of revoking documents from ethnic Vietnamese people, many of whom have been living in Cambodia for generations, is halfway complete in Kampong Chhnang province, according to the provincial director of immigration. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/more-1700-ethnic-vietnamese-families-documents-taken
Kheng scolds senior officials for seeking to keep power centralised
In a frank rebuke of members of his own party, Minister of Interior Sar Kheng yesterday accused national leaders and ministers of impeding the process of decentralising Cambodia’s government out of a desire to maintain power for themselves. ...
Mech Dara and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/kheng-scolds-senior-officials-seeking-keep-power-centralised
Sausage case producer raided
Authorities shut down a large sausage casing manufacturer in Kampong Speu province after discovering its owners had been operating illegally for two years and were using forbidden chemical substances. ...
Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/sausage-case-producer-raided
PM warns party of complacency in leaked audio
Two leaked audio tapes, purportedly of Prime Minister Hun Sen speaking candidly to senior officials, appear to hint at insecurities within the ruling party over the controversial dissolution of the country’s main opposition, with the premier warning that the party’s “struggle” didn’t end with the ...
Ben Sokhean, Andrew Nachemson and Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/pm-warns-party-complacency-leaked-audio
Government and US discuss repatriation of Cambodian inmates
Cambodia has asked the United States to delay the deportation of some of its citizens convicted of crimes in the US due to serious sicknesses and to wait until they get treatment. ...
Ven Rathavong
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5091732/government-us-discuss-repatriation-cambodian-inmates/
Government ‘monitoring’ civil society organisations named in CNRP hearing
The Ministry of Interior yesterday confirmed that certain civil society organisations and their members are being “monitored” following accusations, levelled during the Supreme Court hearing on the dissolution of the opposition party on Thursday, that they participated in a purported “revolution”. ...
Andrew Nachemson and Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/government-monitoring-civil-society-organisations-named-cnrp-hearing
Land rights organisation in Lango limbo
More than a month after the announcement of its ostensibly 30-day suspension, land rights organisation Equitable Cambodia remains stuck in limbo, with the Ministry of Interior saying the NGO must wait for the ministry’s approval to reopen. ...
Leonie Kijewski and Kong Meta
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/land-rights-organisation-lango-limbo
Military Police chief grilled over Mondulkiri logging
Kampong Chhnang Provincial Military Police Commander Sak Sarang was questioned yesterday at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in relation to allegedly taking bribes from illegal loggers in Mondulkiri, where he was previously stationed. ...
Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/military-police-chief-grilled-over-mondulkiri-logging
Ex-RFA reporters detained in capital
Two former Radio Free Asia reporters arrested on Tuesday night remained in detention at Phnom Penh Municipal Police headquarters yesterday evening, with authorities confirming that the pair were under investigation for allegedly sending news reports to the radio broadcaster. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ex-rfa-reporters-detained-capital
Interior Ministry puts provinces on high alert ahead of CNRP court date
Minister of Interior Sar Kheng yesterday issued an order demanding that all provincial governors create a “standby working group” to monitor the political situation in anticipation of unrest following the opposition party’s potential dissolution later this week. ...
Deportees quizzed in detention
Cambodia has sent officials to interview refugees in the United States who are subject to deportation orders. Interior Ministry spokesman General Khieu Sopheak said about 50 refugees had been interviewed but no decision had been made on their repatriation. ...
Khuon Narim
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5090148/deportees-quizzed-detention/
No rallies for Sokha trial, says ministry
The Ministry of Interior has said it will not allow any demonstrations in front of the Supreme Court during a hearing on Thursday to decide if the opposition CNRP will be dissolved, while the Koh Kong provincial governor’s office warned it will prevent residents from ...
Kong Meta and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/no-rallies-sokha-trial-says-ministry
Two million urged to correct civil records
The Interior Ministry’s general department of identification has urged two million people with incorrect civil records to amend their personal information with officials. ...
Mom Kunthear
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5089918/two-million-urged-correct-civil-records/
Election delays 2018 census
The Minister of Planning yesterday announced the third national census set for next year will be delayed until 2019 because the government must focus on the July general election. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5089529/election-delays-2018-census/
Few NGOs compliant with law
Thousands of organisations have failed to meet the deadline for filing their financial reports under the controversial Law on Associations and NGOs (Lango), according to a ministry official. ...
Kong Meta and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/few-ngos-compliant-law
Student group suspended for ‘violating law on NGOs’
A student group was suspended by the Ministry of Interior yesterday for a series of violations of the Law on Associations and Non-governmental Organisations (Lango), including the highly controversial Article 24, which requires organisations to remain “politically neutral”. ...
Soth Koemsoeun and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/student-group-suspended-violating-law-ngos
Businesses told to ban drugs
The Interior Ministry on Friday warned guesthouses and clubs that they will face the law if they do not step up their efforts to ban illegal drugs use in their facilities. As part of the ministry’s ongoing campaign against drugs, the ministry said it has ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5088222/businesses-told-ban-drugs/
Bracing for protests, authorities to prevent citizens from entering capital for Sokha trial
Anticipating popular unrest surrounding the “treason” trial of opposition leader Kem Sokha, Minister of Interior Sar Kheng on Friday instructed provincial governors, police chiefs and officers to block people from travelling to the capital and to prevent any attempts at demonstrations. ...
Mech Dara and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/bracing-protests-authorities-prevent-citizens-entering-capital-sokha-trial
Government studying migrant issues
Interior Minister Sar Kheng yesterday announced he has formed an assessment group – with representation from the ministry’s identification and immigration departments as well as the Ministry of Labour – to study the issues affecting Cambodian migrant workers and provide recommendations to fix them. ...
Kong Meta and Yesenia Amaro
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/government-studying-migrant-issues
Ministry ups scrutiny of NGOs
The Interior Ministry has instructed provincial officials to urgently report any instances in which activities are carried out by any NGOs or grassroots associations without prior notification, adding that authorities can stop any planned events if they affect “public order and national security”. ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ministry-ups-scrutiny-ngos
Analysis: Cambodia’s government learns the art of ‘lawfare’
On Friday, all the pieces fell into place. The Ministry of Interior, a day prior, had primed the media, instructing them on how to report the day’s events. The government’s investigation and filing to the Supreme Court that called for the main opposition party to ...
Erin Handley and Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/analysis-cambodias-government-learns-art-lawfare
NEC Facebook hack investigated
The Interior Ministry is investigating how hackers got into the Facebook page of the National Election Committee (NEC) spokesman and controlled it for weeks, preventing the public dissemination of election-related information. ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/nec-facebook-hack-investigated
Thousands more drug arrests
About 5,000 people have been arrested for drug use and trafficking since July in the second phase of an ongoing controversial drug crackdown, bringing the total number of arrestees this year to almost 13,700 people. ...
Niem Chheng and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/thousands-more-drug-arrests