Human rights

Civil and political rights

Police put an end to gathering of farmers in Prey Veng

Police who shut down a gathering of 30 people in a private home in Prey Veng province yesterday justified the action by saying the organisers had failed to notify the district governor in writing beforehand. ...

Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/police-put-end-gathering-farmers-prey-veng

Tension builds before next ‘black Monday’

Security forces including riot police were deployed to Phnom Penh’s Borei Keila neighborhood on Tuesday to keep a watchful eye over activists in the area, as rights groups, undeterred by arrests of eight protesters on “Black Monday,” began planning next week’s demonstration.   ...

Ben Sokhean and George Wright
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/tension-builds-before-next-black-monday-112432/

Eight arrested over ‘black Monday’ protests

Eight human rights officers and activists clad in black were arrested on Monday during “Black Monday” protests in Phnom Penh, the first in a campaign to free four fellow rights workers and an election official who were jailed late last month on charges widely believed ...

Ben Sokhean and George Wright
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/eight-arrested-over-black-monday-protests-112371/

New human rights czar defends government against ‘darkness’

As protesters were being arrested during peaceful demonstrations in Phnom Penh on Monday morning, the new chairman of the government’s human rights committee held a press conference to reassure the public that the country’s human rights situation was stable.   ...

Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/new-human-rights-czar-defends-government-against-darkness-112386/

Government calls rally against ACU an act of ‘rebellion’

The government on Sunday warned of a crackdown on activists and advocacy groups set to protest today against the recent arrests of four rights workers and an election official, calling the planned demonstration an act of “urban rebellion.” ...

Zsombor Peter and Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/government-calls-rally-against-acu-an-act-of-rebellion-112316/

Protesters to march on ACU despite city hall ban

Activists organizing a protest march to the Phnom Penh headquarters of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) say they will continue with their plans despite City Hall’s decision on Thursday to reject their request.   ...

Ben Sokhean
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/protesters-to-march-on-acu-despite-city-hall-ban-112240/

Prince made new head of ‘civilised royalists’

Sisowath Chakreynupol, a prince from one of Cambodia’s royal families, has taken over the reins of the Cambodian Liberty Party, a recently started micro-party. ...

Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/prince-made-new-head-civilised-royalists

Embassies keep wary eye on cases against rights workers

Foreign diplomatic missions in Phnom Penh say they are closely watching the handling of the cases of human rights monitors and a national election official charged and jailed on Monday in connection with a sex scandal being prosecuted against an opposition leader.    ...

Alex Willemyns
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/embassies-keep-wary-eye-cases-rights-workers-112137/

Information law a step closer

The information minister announced yesterday that the government is one step closer to establishing an access to information law, in response to demands for a more transparent and responsive government. ...

Ros Chanveasna
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24538/information-law-a-step-closer/

Hun Sen says peace trumps free expression

A day after the ruling party filed a defamation complaint against one of the country’s most prominent political commentators, Prime Minister Hun Sen on Tuesday defended limitations on freedom of speech as being necessary for peace and stability. ...

Taylor O'Connell and Kang Sothear
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/hun-sen-says-peace-trumps-free-expression-111805/

PM threatens to use courts to silence pundits, with Virak top of list

 Prime Minister Hun Sen has called for legal action against those who “twist” the truth to malign the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, taking aim at the nation’s political analysts and commentators, with one of its most prominent, Ou Virak, the first in the crosshairs.  ...

Ananth Baliga and Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pm-threatens-use-courts-silence-pundits-virak-top-list

Press freedom ranking low but rising

Cambodia ranked 128th in Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) 2015 ranking of press freedom in countries across the world, the watchdog said yesterday on its website. ...

Jonathan Greig
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24031/press-freedom-ranking-low-but-rising/

Wanted monk says Sweden granted him asylum

Soeung Hai, a dissident former monk wanted for arrest by the government, said on Tuesday that he had been living in Sweden since February after the U.N.’s refugee agency helped him secure political asylum there. ...

Ben Sokhean and Alex Willemyns
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/wanted-monk-says-sweden-granted-him-asylum-111498/

Former SRP president slams arrest of Um Sam An

As the opposition marked the 41st anniversary of the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge, one of its senior officials yesterday lashed out at the imprisonment of a CNRP lawmaker for criticising the government’s handling of the Vietnamese border issue. ...

Meas Sokchea
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/former-srp-president-slams-arrest-um-sam

UN asked to help imprisoned rights activists

Alex Gonzalez-Davidson, the outspoken director of the environmental group Mother Nature, has written to the U.N.’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders to request that he pressure the government to release three Mother Nature activists imprisoned on charges stemming from an anti-sand ...

Kuch Naren and George Wright
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/111370-111370/

US report critical of government’s treatment of opposition

The U.S. State Department’s annual Human Rights Report, released on Wednesday, highlights poor treatment of Cambodia’s political opposition in 2015, and raises concerns about the judiciary’s “broad interpretation” of the crime of incitement.   ...

Peter Ford
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/us-report-critical-of-governments-treatment-of-opposition-111340/

Cambodian political repression meets American human rights law in Long Beach

Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia, is the President of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), the country’s ruling party since 1979. In recent years, when an opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), started gaining momentum and making their voices heard, Sen’s government found ...

Mary Wald
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-wald/cambodian-political-repre_b_9657752.html

Women’s day bike ride blocked by police, security guards

More than 200 activists attempting to cycle from the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to the National Assembly in Phnom Penh to mark International Women’s Day were penned in by authorities Tuesday morning after pedaling less than 100 meters.​ ...

Sek Odom
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/109648-109648/

PM pulls no punches on US arrival

In a wide-ranging speech to ruling Cambodian People’s Party supporters in California yesterday, Prime Minister Hun Sen slammed the US government as well as the opposition, and said his presence at the US-ASEAN Summit at Rancho Mirage was no different than that of US President ...

Taing Vida
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21430/pm-pulls-no-punches-on-us-arrival/

US weighs in on anti-Hun Sen protest

Amid fears of a potential reprise of anti-opposition violence that flared in October, a US Embassy spokesman yesterday called on the government “to ensure that no one is threatened, punished, or harmed in Cambodia” if a planned anti-Hun Sen rally takes place as scheduled next ...

Brent Crane
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/us-weighs-anti-hun-sen-protest

US, ASEAN urged to push rights in Cambodia

Twelve civil society organizations submitted a joint statement asking the US government and heads of democratic ASEAN members to raise issues of human rights violations in Cambodia and the misuse of courts to stifle the opposition at next week’s US-ASEAN Summit in California, in order ...

Taing Vida
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21239/us--asean-urged-to-push-rights-in-cambodia/

NGO notes uptick in gov’t ‘threats’ against online posters

The Cambodian Center for Human Rights released a public notice on Monday noting a “substantial increase” in the number of people being charged for making anti-government or anti-Hun Sen comments in social media. ...

Pech Sotheary
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ngo-notes-uptick-govt-threats-against-online-posters

With connectivity boom, Cambodia's political battles shift online

 In September 2015, a Facebook page bearing the name of Prime Minister Hun Sen notched up its millionth “like.” Until then, the long-serving Cambodian leader had denied ever using social media, making fun of political rivals, like opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who were active online. ...

Sebastian Strangio
http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/With-connectivity-boom-Cambodia-s-political-battles-shift-online

Report calls Cambodia ‘deadliest’ country for environmental reporting

With at least four Cambodians killed in recent years trying to uncover environmental crimes, the country ranks as the “deadliest” place in the world to conduct such reporting, according to a new report.  ...

Aun Chhengpor
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/report-calls-cambodia-deadliest-country-for-environmental-reporting/3093238.html

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