The timeline below offers a visual representation of some of the key human rights violations and restrictions which have occurred in the Kingdom of Cambodia from 2013-2023, and follows our previous timeline covering 1993-2012 which can still be accessed here. The incidents recorded on the timeline from 2013-2023 represent human rights violations by the Royal Government of Cambodia as well as third parties, cover a wide range of issues including extrajudicial killings, convictions of human rights defenders, land grabs, forced evictions, restrictions of the rights to peaceful assembly, association and expression, torture, arrests, arbitrary detention and legislative and institutional developments relevant to human rights. The information is gathered from the Khmer and English media, CCHR’s own Fundamental Freedoms Monitoring Project, and from the commentary and analysis of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working on these issues. Each entry is accompanied by a short description and provides links to media articles reporting on the event or to the work of CSOs active in the field. It should not be forgotten that the cases included in the timeline are those that have garnered the attention of the media or CSOs, and are as such particularly emblematic or high-profile. The timeline is therefore only representative of a small fraction of the actual number of human rights violations occurring in Cambodia.
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Phnom Penh
Convictions of human rights defenders
On 14 July 2020, land rights defender Um Sophy was tried in absentia by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court on incitement charges related to a 2008 land dispute, where authorities alleged she encouraged villagers to cultivate crops on contested land. On 14 August 2020, the court convicted her and gave her a one-year suspended prison term and ordered her to pay one million riel in compensation. Um Sophy is an activist for the Lor Peang community, which has been embroiled in an almost two-decade long land dispute with an agricultural company KDC, which has claimed ownership of 512 hectares located in Kampong Tralach district’s Ta Ches commune.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
The Ministry of Interior announced that it was deleting the Cambodian Wildlife Forest Fisheries Protection and Conservation Organization from its register. While no reason was given for the deregistration, it occurred after the organization’s 90-day suspension on 21 April 2020 for failure to comply with the financial reporting requirements the Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations ("LANGO”). Specifically, the Ministry alleged the organization did not adhere to Article 10, which mandates all organizations must provide operational bank accounts to the Ministries of Interior and Finance within 30 days from the date of registration, and Article 25, requiring organizations to submit a copy of its activity report and annual financial report no later than the end of February the following year.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Soung Sophorn, president of Khmer Win Party, was arrested and detained for allegedly distorting information related to border issues, and was charged with incitement. On August 10, Sophorn and eight members of his party had travelled to Tbong Khmum province where they visited more than 30 villagers who showed them the disputed border posts that Rong Chhun had visited in July.
Camboja | PPP | Khmer Times
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
A protest turned into violence and arrests after around 30 peaceful protestors gathered in front of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court calling for authorities to drop charges against detained union leader Rong Chhun when Rong Chhun was brought to the court for questioning. Security personnel from Khan 7 Makara violently dispersed the protesters. Six activists - all members of the civil society group Khmer Thavarak - were arrested and at least 10 people were injured. Activist Chheoun Daravy was beaten and had her personal belongings removed by the security forces. She began livestreaming on Facebook, asking the authorities to return her backpack when five police violently pulled her into a car and sped off. Within 5 hours of Daravy’s arrest, five other members of Khmer Thavrak were arrested, including prominent human rights defender Hun Vannak. A search warrant was later issued for Daravy’s home. Daravy and Vannak were both charged with ‘incitement to commit a felony’ under Article 495 of the Criminal Code and sent to pre-trial detention in Phnom Penh Correctional Centres 1 and 2, and the others were released.
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Kandal
Violence against activists
Ouk Chhayavy, president of the Cambodian Independence Teacher Association (“CITA”), was attacked and knocked off her motorbike by two unknown assailants on her way home from visiting Rong Chhun in prison. Ouk Chhayavy was riding her motorbike with her husband when two men pulled up on a motorbike, grabbed the handlebars, and pushed her and her husband to the ground and then sped away. Chayavy believes it was an attack made to look like a traffic accident aimed at scaring her off her campaign to release Rong Chhun. She was seriously injured, requiring stitches.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Three former CNRP activists, Chhou Pheng, Chum Puthy and Sar Kanika, who were protesting for the release of prominent union leader Rong Chhun were arrested and charged with ‘incitement to commit a felony’ under Article 495 of the Criminal Code on 5 August and 7 August. The three were sent to pre-trial detention in Prey Sar prison. The police spokesman said they were arrested because they tried to gather more people to protest for Chhun’s release. Four others were reportedly arrested, including two former CNRP activists and two members of the Lover Environment and Society Association, but were released after made to sign contracts saying they would stop protesting.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
The Ministry of Justice issued a press release stating that “People gathering in front of the Phnom Penh Court of First Instance to demand the release of the accused, Rong Chhun, is against the law”. The press release called for protestors to stop demonstrating or face legal action, declaring that the exercise of freedom of assembly in front of a Court to demand the release of a detainee is a crime under Article 522 of the Criminal Code, “Publication of commentaries intended to unlawfully coerce judicial authorities”.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions and member of the Cambodia Watchdog Council (“CWC”), was arrested and detained on 31 July in Phnom Penh by police. He was charged on 1 August with ‘incitement to commit a felony’ under Article 495 of the Criminal Code by the Municipal Court, and if convicted, he faces two years imprisonment. The arrest followed a written statement issued by the Cambodia Border Affairs Committee claiming that Chhun had issued a false statement on 21 July 2020 intended to stir social unrest. On that day, following a trip to the Cambodia-Vietnam border, Chhun posted a statement on behalf of the CWC on his Facebook account in which he reported communities had lost land near the border.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
On 31 July 2020, authorities harassed and forcibly dispersed protesting family members of detained former CNRP activists. Khan Pramp Makara security forces confiscated the protesters banners, blocked them from reaching the Municipal Court and used force, pushing them to the ground. The officers also apprehended one female protestor, dragged her across the street and forcibly pushed her into a police car. She was later released after being required to thumbprint a written statement. The families, which include wives, relatives and children of former CNRP activists, have protested in front of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court multiple weeks in a row and petitioned for their unconditional release.
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Phnom Penh
Land rights and forced evictions
150 families living in Tumnup Teuk, Chamkarmon, Phnom Penh, were told to evacuate and had their homes demolished upon orders from Phnom Penh City Hall. According to authorities, these families were living on public land. The families report they have lived there for over 20 years. Out of the 150 families, 51 families did not receive any form of compensation.
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Siem Reap
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Between 8 - 9 July 2020, Le Meridien Ankgkor Hotel fired three unionists, Ms. Doeum Chhaya, Ms. Sok Naren and Ms. Kham Sreypheak, all members of the Cambodia Tourism Workers Union Federation (“CTWUF”), after they introduced a petition demanding the hotel provide better reduced wages than those offered during COVID-19. The unionists had each worked at the hotel for over ten years with no history of disciplinary action. The hotel further accused Ms. Chhaya of criminal incitement for starting the petition. Sixty-nine staff from the hotel filed a complaint to the provincial Department of Labour, requesting the three unions to be reinstated. Union members also tried to take the case to arbitration, but the hotel and Ministry of Labour would not allow it to be filed as a joint dispute.
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Ratanakiri
Violence against activists
Indigenous forest activist Chhorn Phalla has claimed that he was beaten at public forum organised by Lumphat district authorities in Ratanakkiri province, and has faced ongoing intimidation and threats. Phalla said he raised concerns about the loss of forests, and a group of people beat him until he almost fainted, and officials refused to assist him. Phalla filed criminal proceedings on 20 July 2020.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
District authorities in Phnom Penh blocked over 100 garment workers of Hana Cambodia Inc from peacefully marching to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s house, protesting for intervention over unpaid unemployment benefits. The gathering came after the garment factory announced its permanent closure due to a lack of orders amid the pandemic on 23 June 2020. District governor Hem Darith said the protest was stopped as it could affect public order.
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Phnom Penh
Physical and judicial threats against journalists and or human rights defenders
Journalist and publisher for Khmer Nation Newspaper, Ros Sokhet, was arrested on charges of "incitement to commit a felony" under Articles 494 and 495 of the Cambodian Criminal Code, and detained at Prey Sar prison in pre-trial detention for Facebook posts on his personal account. The Facebook posts were allegedly critical of Prime Minister Hun Sen, stating he had not done enough to offer solutions to people struggling to pay of debts to banks during COVID-19, as well as criticisms of Hun Sen’s plan to hand the CPP over to his eldest son. Sokhet also reportedly criticised the police for issuing traffic fines during the pandemic. The Ministry of Information stated they were in the process of reviewing Khmer Nations media license in line with court procedures.
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Phnom Penh
Convictions of human rights defenders
On 19 June 2020, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court convicted youth activist Kong Raiya on the charges of "incitement to commit a felony", and "committing a misdemeanour after being convicted of a prior misdemeanour", under Articles 494, 495 and 88 of the Cambodian Criminal Code. Kong Raiya was arrested in July 2019 after he advertised via Facebook that he was selling t-shirts featuring the image and quotes of murdered political analyst Kem Ley, and posted the number of a taxi driver who could bring people to a ceremony commemorating Kem Ley's death. Raiya was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, with the remainder of the sentence suspended, taking into account the 4 months and 18 days he already served in pre-trial detention. In addition, Raiya’s seized personal items, including t-shirts, books and mobile phones, were ruled as state property.
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Kratié
Land rights and forced evictions
The Prey Lang Community Network (“PLCN”) reported that within the past three months (since March 2020) 90 cases of forest offences, including illegal logging and hunting, have been carried out in Prey Lang Forest, and the numbers are only increasing. The PCLN reported the biggest increase was around Kratie province, where forest offences have increased 35%. At the time of writing, the PCLN is considered illegal by the Ministry of Environment and has been banned by the government from patrolling the Prey Lang forest area since February.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Phnom Penh police detained CNRP member Heng Chan Sothy on charges of conspiracy and incitement. Chan Sothy was arrested in November 2019 and granted bail, but authorities claimed he violated his bail by failing to regularly report to police. Sothy’s lawyer stated this is untrue, and disputed the justification provided by the Court for Sothy’s arrest. Chan Sothy was one of over 60 opposition members arrested in the three months prior to the announced return of the exiled CNRP leader Sam Rainsy and others on 9 November 2019.
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Phnom Penh
Physical and judicial threats against journalists and or human rights defenders
Thai activist Wanchalearm Satsaksit was abducted in broad daylight in front of his apartment in Phnom Penh by unidentified armed men. Wanchalearm is known for his pro-democracy activism in Thailand, and fled to Cambodia after the May 2014 military coup, where he has remained politically active. The last video on his Facebook criticised the Thai Prime Minister. The government has been criticised for taking no action to investigate the abduction.
HRW | Bangkok Post | BBC
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Koh Kong
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Koh Kong provincial police confiscated more than ten bicycles from a group of 21 youths from environmental organization Mother Nature who were riding from Koh Kong province to Phnom Penh to submit a petition. The group planned to submit the petition, which proposed that Koh Kong Krao Island be certified a protected area, to Prime Minister Hun Sen. The authorities stopped the group only 60 kilometres into their journey, taking their bicycles and blocking the group from moving, under the guise of concern for COVID-19.
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Banteay Meanchey
Physical and judicial threats against journalists and or human rights defenders
Human rights and environmental activist Hun Vannak was detained and later released by Banteay Meanchey police officials after independently observing and documenting a demonstration in Poipet. The protest was planned by market vendors, calling for the reopening of the Thai border for trade, which was closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Hun Vannak was at the protest to observe the heavy security presence that was deployed by provincial authorities, and was arrested while taking photographs and videos of the security.