Justice still elusive for acid victims
Two years after Cambodia’s Acid Law took effect, and one year after a subsequent sub-decree further regulated the dangerous substance, significant hurdles remain in securing justice for victims of acid attacks, according to a paper published in the Cambodian Law and Policy Journalon Sunday. In her paper, “Achieving Justice for the Survivors of Acid Violence in Cambodia”, Sharon Beijer outlines a host of factors hampering the effective implementation of the Kingdom’s acid laws. Among the key areas of concern are the absence of witness-protection programs, a lack of expertise on the part of judges and prosecutors, and persistent attitudes – even among court officers – that victims “deserved their fate”. ... The reported number of acid attacks has fallen dramatically to just three in 2013, since peaking at 27 in 2010, said Erin Bourgois, program manager at CASC. However, she added, only two cases have been sentenced under the new law, and it is still unclear whether it is directly responsible for the decrease. ...
Stuart White
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/justice-still-elusive-acid-victims
