The Phnom Penh Post
UN rapporteur denied prison meeting with Kem Sokha
UN special Rapporteur Rhona Smith’s request to meet with jailed opposition leader Kem Sokha in a Tbong Khmum prison was rejected by an investigating judge who cited “important tasks” that needed to be completed before outsiders were allowed such access. ...
Ben Sokhean and Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/un-rapporteur-denied-prison-meeting-kem-sokha
War games: Ministry says 'please don't be alarmed' as it announces Golden Dragon military exercise with China
The Ministry of Defence on Thursday warned civilians and aircraft to avoid a section of Kampong Speu province from March 15 to March 30 while Cambodia participates in its Golden Dragon military training exercises with China. ...
Ben Sokhean and Andrew Nachemson
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/war-games-ministry-says-please-dont-be-alarmed-it-announces-golden-dragon-military-exercise
NGO event interrupted yet again, this time in Tbong Khmum
Provincial police broke up a gender equality event in Tbong Khmum yesterday despite the fact that the NGO hosting the event had received permission for the celebration, members of the Coalition of Cambodian Farmers Community (CCFC) said. ...
Soth Koemsoeun
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ngo-event-interrupted-yet-again-time-tbong-khmum
Hun Sen pledges to bring more women into top government roles
In celebration of International Women’s Rights Day, Prime Minister Hun Sen pledged to nominate more female secretaries and undersecretaries of state if he were given another mandate while chiding his ministers for not having hired more women officials. ...
Yon Sineat, Leonie Kijewski and Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/hun-sen-pledges-bring-more-women-top-government-roles
Kratie villagers claim at least two shot dead by officials, while authorities deny fatalities
Clashes between villagers protesting a land dispute and security officers erupted in gunfire yesterday in Kratie province, with a rights official initially reporting six killed, and villagers at the scene confirming at least two dead – while authorities provided a starkly different account, saying that ...
Kong Meta and Phak Seangly
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kratie-villagers-claim-least-two-shot-dead-officials-while-authorities-deny-fatalities
Expansion approved for Bokor National Park
New resorts, restaurants and casinos could be coming to Bokor National Park after environment officials endorsed an “improved” plan for the mountain along with oknha Sok Kong’s hotel company, according to the government’s news agency. ...
Daphne Chen
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/expansion-approved-bokor-national-park
Cambodian fishermen in Thailand face abuses: ILO
Cambodian and Myanmar fishermen in Thailand are often paid below the minimum wage, see their payment withheld and face abuses, according to a new International Labour Organisation study. For the baseline study Ship to Shore Rights the ILO interviewed 434 mostly Myanmar and Cambodian fishermen ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodian-fishermen-thailand-face-abuses-ilo
Former envoy to South Korea challenges court ruling on abuse-of-power conviction
Imprisoned former Ambassador Suth Dina appeared in the Supreme Court yesterday to challenge the procedures of the Appeal Court, where he attempted to get his five-year sentence for “abuse of power” and “unlawful exploitation” overturned in August. ...
Rainsy’s vow of ‘autonomy’ for ethnic group sets off treason probe
The Interior Ministry said it will investigate documents and a video from 2013 that resurfaced yesterday showing former opposition leader Sam Rainsy committing to upholding the rights of ethnic minorities in four northeastern Cambodian provinces, with a Justice Ministry spokesman saying it qualified as “treason”. ...
Niem Chheng and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/rainsys-vow-autonomy-ethnic-group-sets-treason-probe
Government denies rumours of national cryptocurrency
Government officials today shot down rumours that Cambodia would be issuing its own national cryptocurrency, despite international media coverage and a high-profile government official’s plan to attend an event organized by the company responsible for the claims. ...
Hor Kimsay and Robin Spiess
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/government-denies-rumours-national-cryptocurrency
UN envoy voices concern to government
UN special Rapporteur Rhona Smith officially commenced her latest visit to the Kingdom yesterday, meeting with the Ministry of Justice to raise concerns over a slew of legislative and constitutional amendments undertaken as part of the government’s recent crackdown on political dissent. ...
Ben Sokhean and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/un-envoy-voices-concern-government
Hun Sen’s lawyer receives promotion
After leading the legal team that won the widely condemned dissolution of the CNRP at the Supreme Court in November, Ky Tech, lawyer for the Council of Ministers and Prime Minister Hun Sen, has been given a rank equivalent to minister just weeks after he ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hun-sens-lawyer-receives-promotion
Halal food regulations unveiled
The Commerce Ministry announced a standardised certification process for halal food in Cambodia yesterday, a move that was praised by Muslim religious leaders and food producers. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/halal-food-regulations-unveiled
Money discussed for families set to be displaced by new Kandal airport
Officials are negotiating cash compensation for hundreds of villagers in Kandal province who will likely be displaced to make way for a massive airport project. Villagers and officials met at Kandal Stung District Hall yesterday to discuss the land dispute, one of several that have ...
Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/money-discussed-families-set-be-displaced-new-kandal-airport
UN report highlights escalation of tensions in Cambodia
Shrinking political and civic space in the Kingdom is highlighted in a new report from the United Nations’ human rights commissioner and secretary-general ahead of a UN Human Rights Council discussion this month on Cambodia. ...
Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/un-report-highlights-escalation-tensions-cambodia
Cambodia tops region for fires detected from space
Yet again, the Kingdom this year burns brighter than its neighbours, with fires in Cambodia being detected from space at a much higher rate than any other country in the region, according to a NASA report published last week. It’s likely a product of both ...
Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodia-tops-region-fires-detected-space
US sends first soybean shipment to Cambodia
The US sent its first shipment of food-grade soybeans to Cambodia last week, exporting a total of 14 tonnes to both Cambodia and Myanmar to be processed in the receiving countries, according to US media reports. The shipments were sent to soy milk and tofu ...
Robin Spiess and Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/us-sends-first-soybean-shipment-cambodia-0
Villagers in Phnom Penh's Russey Keo meet with governor to discuss road
The governor of Phnom Penh’s northern Russey Keo district met yesterday with hundreds of villagers to hear their grievances over the planned construction of a road – and potential displacement of residents – along an existing unused stretch of railroad track. ...
Soth Koemsoeun
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/villagers-phnom-penhs-russey-keo-meet-governor-discuss-road
Kem Sokha’s pre-trial detention extended by six months
Jailed opposition leader Kem Sokha may not face trial until after the July elections, after a Phnom Penh Municipal Court decision on Monday to extend his pre-trial detention up to another six months. Meng Sopheary, Sokha’s lawyer, confirmed that Investigating Judge Ky Rithy extended the ...
Niem Chheng and Ananth Baliga
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/kem-sokhas-pre-trial-detention-extended-six-months
More crocodile farms given Cites recognition
Sixteen additional crocodile farms have been approved under an international conservation treaty to export Siamese crocodiles, bringing the total number of recognised farms in Cambodia to 21, according to a government official. ...
Cheng Sokhorng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/more-crocodile-farms-given-cites-recognition
Few women in upper ranks
Cambodian women make up less than 3 percent of the military’s upper echelons, the ministries of defence and women’s affairs confirmed yesterday. Just 88 women hold ranks of one-star general and above, with one solitary woman ranked a four-star general and a deputy commander-in-chief of ...
Erin Handley and Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/few-women-upper-ranks
Hun Sen tells jailed opposition figures not to expect pardons
Prime Minister Hun Sen rejected the possibility of negotiating with the former CNRP yesterday, maintaining that jailed opposition figures Kem Sokha and Um Sam An will not be pardoned, and that there would “be no second Paris peace agreement”. ...
Mech Dara and Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hun-sen-tells-jailed-opposition-figures-not-expect-pardons
Brick prices climb to towering highs on demand from Sihanoukville
Brick prices in Cambodia have risen sharply in the last year, a trend that has accelerated over the first two months of this year due to growing demand from the rapidly developing coastal town of Sihanoukville. The price of 10,000 bricks hovered around $180 early ...
Hor Kimsay
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/brick-prices-climb-towering-highs-demand-sihanoukville
Hun Sen, tax chief accuse US of lying about cuts to aid
Prime Minister Hun Sen and tax chief Kong Vibol accused the US of lying about cutting assistance to Cambodia, claiming that one of the programs on the chopping block hasn’t existed since 2016. In a speech to garment workers in the Sihanoukville SEZ on Saturday, ...
Mech Dara and Daphne Chen
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hun-sen-tax-chief-accuse-us-lying-about-cuts-aid