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
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
The Giant Ibis Transport Company failed to comply with labor laws and meet the deadline of providing the agreed upon compensation to 30 laid-off union workers who are owed a year's worth of wages. The company signed an agreement on 13 May to provide the agreed compensation by 22 May. The 30 laid-off union members are owed severance and seniority payments of $7,000 - $8,000 each, amounting to well over $100,000, which has not been paid since 80 employees were laid-off in April 2020. Union members were told that they would receive their compensation but not be reinstated. However, the company has since claimed that it miscalculated the payments owed to workers and needed more time, pushing the deadline back until 7 June.
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Phnom Penh
Violations of Free and Fair Elections Principles
Cambodia's National Election Committee (NEC) rejected the main opposition party's, the Candlelight Party's (CP), registration to participate in the upcoming national elections in July 2023 as they failed to submit a verified copy of its original party registration document with the Ministry of Interior. However, this document was lost in 2017, when the CNRP offices were raided by government agents.
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Phnom Penh
Violations of Free and Fair Elections Principles
The Constitutional Council of Cambodia (CCC) refused to reverse the decision made by the National Election Committee which had rejected the registration of the Khmer United Great Nation Party for the upcoming election.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced human rights defender and leader of a NagaWorld union, Chhim Sithar, to two years in Prey Sar prison for incitement. Five other union members (Chhim Sokhorn, Hay Sopheap, Kleang Soben, Touch Sereymeas and Sun Sreypich) were sentenced to 18 months in prison and three members (Sok Kongkea, Ry Sovandy and Sok Narith) were sentenced to one year, but had their sentence suspended.
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Ratanakiri
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
An independent researcher, Chan Vibol, was charged with plotting and incitement after participating in a training workshop ran by the Cambodian Farmers Community Association (CCFA).
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Kratie
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
Kratie provincial authorities arrested four activist while they were conducting a Facebook live along the Kratie River. During the Facebook live, the activists were explaining the Paris Peace Agreement and the benefits of providing positive solutions to the problem. They were then interrogated by Kratie police for approximately two hours before being released after signing a contract with a thumbprint, limiting their activities and requiring them to inform authorities in advance.
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Kratie
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
17 members of the Coalition of Cambodia Farmers Community (CCFC) were detained and questioned by Kratie authorities as the group was returning to Phnom Penh by bus from a staff training workshop hosted in Ratanakiri. Three of the detained coalition members (CCFC’s president Theng Savoeun, senior officer Nhel Pheap and project officer Thach Hach) were held overnight and transferred to Ratanakiri on the morning of the 18 May for further questioning.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Prime Minister Hun Sen warned supporters and leaders of the Candlelight Party they could face imprisonment if they stage demonstrations against the National Election Committee. He ordered the authorities and the police, especially the armed forces, not to forgive any supporters or leaders of the party who dared to protest.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Prime Minister Hun Sen threatened to arrest and take legal action against the Candlelight Party's plans to rally supporters to protest the National Election Committee's rejection of the party's registration. He added that the Candlelight Party could appeal the NEC's decision to the Constitutional Council.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The new Vice-President of the Candlelight Party, Rong Chhun, lost his right to be a candidate for both the premiership and lawmaker seat. The disqualification came after the National Election Committee (NEC) sent a letter to the Ministry of Justice to confirm if Chhun is eligible to stand as a candidate. His disqualification is due to his arrest on July 31, 2020, for "incitement to commit a felony" and was convicted and sentenced to two years in jail. Chhun is still under probation, so he is not eligible to stand as a candidate for the national election.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Twenty political parties have registered for Cambodia's parliamentary election in July, according to a recent National Election Committee (NEC) announcement. However, nine of them have not yet been approved, including the Candlelight Party (the only party with a chance of challenging Prime Minister Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party).
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The Candlelight Party (CP) is at risk of not being able to register for participation and to submit candidate lists for the July 23 National Election. The National Election Committee (NEC) required all parties to submit only original documents, but the CP said some of their documents were lost during a police-raid in 2017. The CP asked the Ministry of Interior to authorize their copies of the original documents, but were denied.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The vice president of the Candlelight Party (CP) said he is not concerned about being arrested sometime before the July 23 election. His comment follows a pro-government newspaper's report that warned of a possible arrest if he is found in violation of his court probation.
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Phnom Penh
Violence against activists
The Cambodian Labour Confederation (CLC) has appealed to the government to stop factory owners violating the labor laws and allow workers the right to strike and demonstrate. CLC President Ath Thorn said at a May 1st event that before 2013 the situation of workers' rights and union representation was good authorities did not restrict protests or demonstrations. But, since 2014, the right to freedom of public assembly has been restricted through criminal charges and imprisonment.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The trial of NagaWorld union leader Chhim Sithar and the eight other union members continued, as the judge declined to play more than 50 audio recordings from Zoom meetings requested by the defendants. The judges said the audio could be cited by the defendants' lawyers during their closing remarks.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
A Cambodian court gave more charges to a detained opposition leader, which will likely prevent him from campaigning for July's elections. Vice President of the Candlelight Party, Thach Setha, was charged in July with writing false checks. Recently, he was charged with "incitement to provoke social chaos" over remarks he made in a speech last year while visiting Japan.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Before opposition Candlelight Party's secretary general Lee Sothearayuth, he was accused of infidelity. Government-aligned Fresh News released leaked audio revealing his intimate conversations with an alleged mistress. After the release of the recordings, Candlelight Party announced the suspension of Sothearayuth on April 12 and appointed Kong Monika as acting secretary general.
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Phnom Penh
Torture, arrests and illegal detentions
A detainee at Tbong Khmom Provincial Prison has been blinded in one eye after being struck by an officer. Operations director at LICADHO said it had been a case of torture and lack of healthcare services for detainees guaranteed by law. So far, there has been no punishment or arrest of the officer as the matter is still under investigation.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Many opposition parties have not registered to participate in July's election and will wait until the last minute because intimidation, threats and attacks have made it dangerous. The Candlelight Party is having trouble recruiting candidates because of intimidation and physical assaults against its activists.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
A Candlelight Party youth organizer was buying coffee when two men in black sped towards him on a motorbike and pulled out a metal baton to strike him on the shoulder. The case is one of at least seven acts of violence against opposition members since January.
