News
For arrested activists, thumbprints on police contracts are often the cost of freedom
In mid-August, Chhoeun Daravy and eight others found themselves negotiating with police over the wording of a handwritten contract. Officers initially wanted the agreement to say that the nine had “illegally” entered a “prohibited area” in the recently logged Phnom Tamao forest and flew a ...
Ngay Nai and Matt Surrusco
https://cambojanews.com/for-arrested-activists-thumbprints-on-police-contracts-are-often-the-cost-of-freedom/
Ahead of 2023 elections, press freedom continues to lag, CCHR says
Cambodia’s levels of freedom of expression, press and access to information remain low, and the work environment for journalists and human rights defenders is “increasingly dangerous,” the Cambodian Center for Human Rights said in a report released Thursday. ...
Phon Sotthyroth
https://cambojanews.com/ahead-of-2023-elections-press-freedom-continues-to-lag-cchr-says/
Coastal communities wary as major development appears to progress
Fishing communities in Kampot and Kep provinces are under threat as a coastal tourism project linked to the wife of a government minister is reportedly moving forward, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights said. ...
Phin Rathana and Khut Sokun
https://vodenglish.news/coastal-communities-wary-as-major-development-appears-to-progress/
Public order draft law in danger of worsening blame culture, say CCHR
The Executive Director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights Chak Sopheap has said that victim-blame culture encourages violence against women and the public order new draft law is in danger of exacerbating this issue. ...
Sok Srey Lux
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50760102/public-order-draft-law-in-danger-of-worsening-blame-culture-say-cchr/
Ministry dismisses NGO report on fundamental freedoms
The government yesterday dismissed as being inccurate a joint report by three NGOs claiming that fundamental freedoms in the Kingdom continue to be restricted. ...
Sen David
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50750444/ministry-dismisses-ngo-report-on-fundamental-freedoms/
Preah Vihear villagers band at PM residence in Phnom Penh, seek resolution to land dispute
Some 200 villagers from Preah Vihear province gathered at Prime Minister Hun Sen’s residence in Phnom Penh on Thursday to deliver a petition seeking a resolution to their long-running land dispute. They also sought the release of 13 villagers who had been detained since January 19 for ...
Long Kimmarita
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/preah-vihear-villagers-band-pm-residence-phnom-penh-seek-resolution-land-dispute
Land dispute under spotlight
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) released a report on Thursday on the experiences of local communities across three provinces who suffered rights violations as a result of land disputes with companies operating in the Kingdom. ...
Niem Chheng
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/land-dispute-under-spotlight
Women lack full rights at Appeal Court
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) has released an observational report on the rights of woman defendant’s at the Appeal Court, claiming that many weren’t granted due process. Having monitors attend 453 trials from December 2016 to June this year, CCHR found that there ...
Niem Chheng
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/women-lack-full-rights-appeal-court
Hun Sen: New government will serve with ‘double work’
Cambodian People Party (CPP) president Hun Sen on Tuesday promised that his new government would serve the people by doing “double work” for Cambodia’s development. Meanwhile, Cambodia National Rescue Movement (CNRM) president Sam Rainsy hinted at accepting the caretaker prime minister’s challenge to swear on ...
Ben Sokhean
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/hun-sen-new-government-will-serve-double-work
Civil society groups slam gov’t web-monitor group
Some 116 organisations and associations have urged Cambodian officials to dismantle the new inter-ministry working group that was recently set up to monitor social networking sites, claiming it is an “abuse on the rights and freedom of expression via the internet”. ...
Niem Chheng
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/civil-society-groups-slam-govt-web-monitor-group
CPP spokesman and former Kem Sokha colleague questioned
Cambodian People’s Party spokesman Chhim Phal Virun was questioned Tuesday morning as a witness in the “treason” charges brought against former opposition leader Kem Sokha, his former colleague at the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR). ...
Niem Chheng
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cpp-spokesman-and-former-kem-sokha-colleague-questioned
Hun Sen: rights organisation CCHR will not be shut down
In an unexpected turn, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced on Saturday that the outspoken Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) will not be shut down, despite accusing the local NGO last week of serving foreign interests. In an article posted to government mouthpiece Fresh News, the ...
Leonie Kijewski and Mech Dara
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/hun-sen-rights-organisation-cchr-will-not-be-shut-down
Government rights head meets envoy
The interim representative of the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia met yesterday with the head of the Cambodian government’s rights body, voicing concerns about the threatened closure of a prominent outspoken local NGO. ...
Ben Sokhean and Leonie Kijewski
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/government-rights-head-meets-envoy
Internet freedom ranking slips
Cambodia fell four spots in a 2016 ranking of internet freedom across the world released yesterday, with the organization behind it tying the drop to a spate of arrests for nothing more than Facebook posts and a much-maligned telecommunications law that critics say gives the ...
Pech Sotheary
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/32011/internet-freedom-ranking-slips/
Land disputes hurting women
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) demanded the government intervene immediately after finding that 98.2 percent of women involved in land disputes with private companies were suffering from serious psychological after-effects and nearly half of the women participating in the survey said they had ...
May Titthara
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/30261/land-disputes-hurting-women/
HIV infections nearly doubled over past decade
The number of new HIV infections in Cambodia nearly doubled over the past decade—the greatest increase in Asia—while less than a third of Cambodians living with the virus are receiving medication to slow its development, according to a report released this week. ...
George wright
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/hiv-infections-nearly-doubled-over-past-decade-115705/
UN statement slammed for ‘stunning’ timidity
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern over the fractious political situation in Cambodia on Sunday, in a two-sentence statement issued through his press office that rights activists on Monday blasted for its timidity and brevity. ...
Taylor O'connell
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/un-statement-slammed-for-stunning-timidity-113249/
Transgender Cambodians at higher risk for HIV infection
The rate of HIV infection among Cambodia’s transgender women is nearly six times higher than the national average, according to the results of a 2012 survey published in the online journal PLOS ONE this month. ...
Ben Paviour
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/transgender-cambodians-at-higher-risk-for-hiv-infection-111517/
UN envoy meets with rights workers
The U.N.’s human rights envoy to Cambodia met with local rights advocates on Monday as she began her second fact-finding mission to the country, one of the meeting’s attendees said. ...
George Wright
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/un-envoy-meets-with-rights-workers-110243/
Indigenous community’s collective land still in danger: Report
The collective land of indigenous communities in Cambodia will continue to face encroachment from economic land concessions and the actions of private companies in the future despite the Cambodian Government’s moratorium on granting ELC licenses, according to a Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) report ...
Chea Vannak
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/21322/indigenous-community---s-collective-land-still-in-danger--report/
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
China, Cambodia aim to further boost trade to 5 billion USD
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong is in China this week for official talks aimed at strengthening trade and security ties. ...
Pin Sisovann
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/china-cambodia-aim-to-further-boost-trade-to-5-billion/3176555.html
LGBT bullying endemic, report finds
Nine out of 10 LGBT students have experienced bullying in Cambodia’s schools, which hurts their future educational attainment and makes their lives harder, according to a report released yesterday by the Cambodian Center for Human Rights. ...
Igor Kossov and Morn Vanntey
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/lgbt-bullying-endemic-report-finds
Cambodia urged to investigate journalists’ deaths
Rights group launches justice campaign for murdered journalists on second UN-backed International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists. ...
Anadolu Agency News Staff
http://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/cambodia-urged-to-investigate-journalists-deaths/463662