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Appeal Court Hearing Must Bring Justice to Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun
The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC) a coalition of 21 NGO members, petitions the Appeal Court to release Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun in their upcoming Appeal Court hearing on October 6, 2006. CHRAC has made investigations into the Chea Vichea assassination, which occurred on January 22, 2004 and continues to believe that Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun have nothing to do with the assassination. CHRAC considers the Phnom Penh Municipal Court’s verdict to have been politically motivated. Furthermore, its appears that the police investigation into the assassination involved several now disgraced police officers, some who have now been arrested for criminal activity.
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Cambodia: Release Scapegoats for Labor Leader’s Murder
(New York) - At an appeal court hearing on Friday the Cambodian judiciary should release, for lack of evidence, two men wrongly convicted of murdering labor leader Chea Vichea, Human Rights Watch said today. Born Samnang and Sok Sam Oeun, who are currently serving 20-year prison sentences, were convicted in August 2005, following a controversial trial that failed to meet international standards of due process and fairness. Chea Vichea, the founder and president of the Free Trade Union of the Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, was the most prominent labor leader in Cambodia until his murder in January 2004.
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Human Rights and Freedom of Expression Events: Learning From Experience
The events that followed the arrests in late 2005 brought many positive developments within civil society. Cambodians worked in new ways with the international community, and traditional networks were expanded. Freedom of expression and assembly are still at risk in Cambodia. In 2005, the authorities began using a defamation law dating back to the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period to arrest and imprison high profile figures for expressing their views and for allowing others to express their views. Even more importantly, many more un-named and powerless activists in the provinces have been charged with defamation. Despite government commitments to conduct a review of the law, defamation still remains a criminal offense. Under the current draft of a proposed new law on public assembly, all spontaneous protests and demonstrations must be held in government-designated parks, have no more than 200 people, and last no longer than four hours.
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CCHR Supports the Critique of Human Rights Violations in Cambodia by UN Special Representative Yash Ghai
The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) welcomes the report made by the UN Special Representative for Human Rights in Cambodia, Yash Ghai. The independent expert had presentee his findings and recommendations to the UN Council on Human Rights in Geneva on Tuesday, September 26.
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NGOs Warn UN Human Rights Council of Grim Rights Situation in Cambodia
The deteriorating human rights situation in Cambodia demands firmer action from the United Nations and the country’s biggest foreign donors, according to three rights NGOs. The Cambodian government’s failure to meet its human rights obligations is highlighted by the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC), the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), and the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), in a submission to the highest UN rights body, the Human Rights Council. The Council is holding its second session in Geneva from 18 September till 6 October, 2006.
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Activists Release Balloons, Demand Release of Arrested Sambok Chap Villagers
The Alliance for Freedom of Expression in Cambodia (AFEC) invites the media to report on the release of balloons in front of Prey Sar Prison on 06 September 2006 at 11am, to demand the immediate and unconditional release of three villagers of Sambok Chab who have been detained in prison for three months.
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Fall Down of Freedom of Expression & Assembly 1 septembner 2006
មជ្ឈមណ្ឌលសិទ្ធិមនុស្សកម្ពុជា មានការរន្ធត់នៅពេលដែលឮដំណឹងថា "ច្បាប់ស្តីពីលក្ខន្តិកៈតំណាងរាស្ត្រ" បានអនុញ្ញាតឲ្យចាប់ខ្លួន និងចោទប្រកាន់សមាជិករដ្ឋសភា មុនពេលលើកអភ័យឯកសិទ្ធិរបស់ពួកគេ ។ នេះជាលក្ខន្តិកៈដែលបានអនុម័តដោយរដ្ឋសភា នៅថ្ងៃពុធ ទី៣០ ខែសីហា ឆ្នាំ២០០៦ ។
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