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
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
13 members of the former National Heart Party have been convicted to prison on charges of fraud as the country gears up for the Southeast Asia games in May and elections in July.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
A Cambodian pro-government news site published details from a telephone conversation between a top opposition party official and his alleged mistress. An observer said that publishing a private telephone conversation without consent is an attempt to destroy an opponent's reputation and dignity and a breach of privacy. Re-broadcasting a private conversation is a crime, Khmer Student Intelligent League Association President Koeu Saray said, pointing to Article 368 of Cambodia’s penal code.
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Koh Rong Sanloem
Land rights and forced evictions
Three resort owners on Koh Rong Sanloem are resisting a February eviction order by the Preah Sihanouk Provincial administration to close business. The owner of the Moonlight Resort located on Saracen Bay said that four owners have left, another four are in the process of leaving and the three still remain until matters are resolved.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
Two opposition activists, Yim Sinorn and Hun Kosal, were placed in detention in Prey Sar prison on charges of insulting the King and inciting serious social unrest. The charges are connected with social media posts about the relative positions of the PM and the King and the SEA Games torch-lighting ceremony at Angkor Wat.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The National Election Committee (NEC) has requested Phnom Penh's Municipal Court to forcibly execute the Supreme Court's decision to convict Candlelight Party's vice-president Son Chhay for defamation. The Supreme Court rejected Chhay's appeal last month to overturn a lower court ruling ordering him to pay $1 million in compensation to the CPP and a fine of $5,000 for defaming the CPP and NEC.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The Ministry of Information warned that it would take legal action against CamboJA News if it refuses to correct misrepresentations in a story titled, "Information Ministry Revos Three Media Licenses Following Reports on Senior Official's Role in Land Fraud."
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
On 16 March, the Ministry of Information revoked the broadcasting licenses of Khmer language media outlets Federation of Cambodia-ASEAN Journalists, Raksmey Kampong Cham, and Dumming Knonh Srok for allegedly committing serious violations of journalistic ethics and not following the Ministry's instructions. This decision was made after the media outlets released reports on a CPP Senior Official's role in a case of land fraud.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
The Ministry of Justice and Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC) have rebuffed requests for the release of nine former NagaWorld employees currently detained for "incitement to cause social chaos." The charges were brought in response to their ongoing labor dispute with the casino resort. The decision was made following a Human Rights Watch report urging the activists' "immediate and unditional" release, as well as a Phnom Penh Municipal Court hearing for leader of the movement Chhim Sithar and her eight co-defendants.
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Phnom Penh
Land rights and forced evictions
More than 300 poor families face eviction to allow a private company to develop land in the Russei Keo district to the north of the Chroy Changvar bridge in Phnom Penh. Prime Minister Hun Sen signed a sub-decree in September 2022 giving riverside property to Advanced Trust (Cambodia) Co., Ltd. Approximately 80% of the families living in the area will relocate to Prek Pnov district.
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Pursat
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
ពេលកំពុងនិមន្តធ្វើធម្មយាត្រាថ្មើរជើងនៅទូទាំងប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ព្រះតេជគុណ សយ សាត ធ្វើការអំពាវនាវឱ្យរដ្ឋាភិបាលស្តារឡើងវិញនូវក្រមសីលធម៌សង្គម និងដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាជាតិកំពុងកើតមាននាពេលបច្ចុប្បន្ន ត្រូវបានអាជ្ញាធរឃាត់ព្រះកាយ និងសាកសួរចំពោះទំនាងទំនងរបស់ព្រះអង្គជាមួយគណបក្សភ្លើងទៀន។ នគរបាលក្នុងខេត្តពោធិ៍សាត់ឃុំព្រះកាយ និងបានចោទប្រកាន់ព្រះអង្គទាក់ទងនឹងការចូលរួមក្នុងការជួបប្រជុំរៀបចំដោយលោក រ៉ុង ឈុន អនុប្រធានគណបក្សភ្លើងទៀន។ បន្ទាប់ពីការសាកសួរអស់រយៈពេលពីរបីម៉ោង និងនៅពេលដែលព្រះអង្គបដិសេធពីការទទួលបានការឧបត្ថម្ភពីគណបក្សនយោបាយណាលើការធ្វើធម្មយាត្រាថ្មើរជើងនោះ អាជ្ញាធរបានអនុញ្ញាតឱ្យព្រះអង្គនិមន្តបន្តដំណើរ។
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Former president of the Cambodian National Rescue Party, Kem Sokha, was convicted of treason by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, placed under house arrest, denied the possibility to speak with foreigners and other individuals other than his family, and banned from politics on 3 March 2023, a few months before the upcoming general elections. The decision was based on allegations that Sokha conspired with foreign powers to overthrow the government; the Court cited a speech delivered by Sokha in 2013 in which he advocated for democracy in Cambodia as a piece of crucial evidence, yet it was never substantiated with credible documentation. The ruling, believed to be politically motivated, has been condemned by human rights groups, embassies, and other international organizations. Sokha's lawyer announced his client will appeal the ruling.
HRW | Aljazeera | cambojanews | Cambojanews
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Former president of the Cambodian National Rescue Party, Kem Sokha, was convicted of treason by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, placed under house arrest, denied the possibility to speak with foreigners and other individuals other than his family, and banned from politics on 3 March 2023, a few months before the upcoming general elections. The decision was based on allegations that Sokha conspired with foreign powers to overthrow the government; the Court cited a speech delivered by Sokha in 2013 in which he advocated for democracy in Cambodia as a piece of crucial evidence, yet it was never substantiated with credible documentation. The ruling, believed to be politically motivated, has been condemned by human rights groups, embassies, and other international organizations. Sokha's lawyer announced his client will appeal the ruling.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
Prime Minister Hun Sen revoked Voice of Democracy's (VOD) license, following a disputed article released by the media outlet. On 9 February, VoD published an article quoting government spokesperson Mr. Phay Siphan stating that Mr. Hun Manet, deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and the son of Prime Minister, who recently took the role of his father, had signed a budget contribution of $100.000 to support Turkey after the recent earthquake in the country and its neighbor Syria. According to Mr. Siphan, it was consistent to have Mr. Manet signing on the aid agreement because the premier was on a mission; however, Mr. Hun Manet denied the information reported in the article, saying he did not sign any budget contribution for Turkey. Consequently, the PM demanded VoD to publicly apologize to the government and his son within 24 hours, in response to a comment on the case made by one user on its Facebook page. He had previously given 72 hours to VoD to verify the facts and sources, and to apologize for the false report. On 12 February 2023, VoD, held a discussion with the Ministry of Information working group, and then released a letter regretting any confusion the article may have caused, explaining that the media outlet had quoted spokesman Phay Siphan, and asking for leniency from the premier; however, he was not satisfied with the statement, saying that this answer was ‘’unacceptable’’, and ordering the Ministry of Information to revoke VoD’s license to protect the government’s honor, ending its broadcast for spreading ‘’slanderous’’ information, although VoD issued another letter apologizing for these events later that day.
PPP | RFA | cambojanews | cambojanews | VOD | Khmer Time
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Kandal
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Nhim Sorn Sida, a Youth Association for Media for Peace journalist, accused an immigration police officer at the Kham Samnang of arresting him for hours, forcing him to sign a contract banning him from taking pictures of smugglers in the area and confiscating his phone. The journalist informed the customs officials about the situation. Still, he was taken to the police station, where he was questioned for not having a mission letter and not telling the officials about the pictures. The journalist was later dismissed, but authorities pressured him to promise he won't leak the material to the media.
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Battambang
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The Supreme Court upheld the Battambang Court of Appeal’s verdict convicting Siem Reap Tannhektar journalist Kao Piseth to two years in prison and a fine of 3 million riels. Piseth had posted a message on Facebook accusing Prime Minister Hun Sen of corruption and questioning the effectiveness and medical assessment of the COVID-19 Chinese vaccine as the World Health Organization had not recognized it at the time of the events. Moreover, the Supreme Court decided to change the charges against the journalist from inciting to commit a crime to commit a severe act of chaos and disturbing social security. Civil society organizations regretted the decision and expressed concern about the restrictions on freedom of expression in Cambodia and how the government used the pretext of preventing COVID-19 to silence dissenting voices.
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Pailin
Violations of Free and Fair Elections Principles
Members of the CandleLight Party were denied permission to install four banners by the Pailin province officials, arguing that other political parties had reserved the same spot, but still needed to name those parties. On 20 January, the CP requested the authorities in Sala Krao commune to let them install the billboards. Still, a letter received on 25 January rejected their request because other parties had already asked to set up the signs at these locations.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
Licadho and other civil society organizations were forced to remove a rap video called "Workers Blood," recounting a deadly government crackdown on a worker's protest nine years ago in which police shot four people dead and injured several more in Phnom Penh. The warning came after the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts stated the video "had crossed a line," sending a letter to the National Police requiring them to take all necessary steps to prevent its circulation on social media, citing its content incited and contributed to social disorder. Furthermore, authorities threatened the CSOs representatives to take legal action against them if the clip was not deleted. Fearing repercussions, the organizations removed the video from their websites and social media pages. Nevertheless, four Licadho staff members were summoned for sharing the video.
VO | VOA | cambojanews | RFA | VOD
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Thach Setha, vice president of the Candlelight Party, was arrested over an alleged check bouncing case a sent to pretrial detention at Prey Sar prison. However, the charges against him were not stated clearly. According to the investigating judge, Setha supposedly issued a fake check back in 2019. The case is believed to be politically motivated as the government has been targeting opposition leaders before the upcoming elections. The Candlelight Party condemned his detention and urged the government to end all the threats and arrests against its leaders, particularly on the verge of the upcoming general elections.
VOD | freshnewsasia | RFA | PPP | VOD
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Kampong Speu
Violence against activists
Teok Mao, a monk trying to protect the Metta Forest in Kampong Speu province, was aggressively attacked when he was taking photos of soldiers plowing land that was part of the forest. The authorities violently threatened and confiscated his phone, preventing him from taking the photos. He stated this was not the first incident he had experienced in the forest area while advocating for the community's land rights.
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Phnom penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Thirty-six members of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), including former president Sam Rainsy and former vice-president Mu Sochua, were convicted for plotting in a new mass trial verdict rendered by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for their alleged involvement in the attempted return of Mu Sochua to the country in 2021. 11 CNRP officials, including the two leaders, were handed down a seven-year jail sentence and were stripped of their rights to vote and stand for election for five years while the 25 others were sentenced to five years in prison, although three saw their sentence suspended. Most of the convicted ex-CNRP members standing trial were not present as they fled the country and were therefore issued arrest warrants. This verdict is the fifth rendered in the ongoing politically-motivated mass trials brought against CNRP leaders and members.
VOD | cambojanews | RFA | RFA | Aljazeera. | VOD
