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 police beat and detained Keo Sovannrith and his friends for peacefully protesting in front of the Ministry of Education. Keo Sovannrith was protesting against his removal from a state-run school for PE teachers for being too short.
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Pattaya, Thailand
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Four unidentified men physically assaulted Vatt Mony, a Candlelight Party activist who is seeking asylum in Thailand in the resort town of Pattaya. He had been campaigning among Cambodian migrant workers to protest against Hun Manet's government, and petitioning embassies in Bangkok to urge the RGC to return to democracy.
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Rayong, Thailand
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Three unidentified Khmer-speaking men beat former member of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, Phorn Phanna, who is recognised as a refugee by UNHCR. In Thailand, Phanna supports other exiled Cambodian opposition activists. He also has three Facebook pages (with a total of half a million followers) which he uses to publicly criticise the Cambodian People’s Party.
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Koh Kong
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The Koh Kong Provincial Court sentenced 10 local land rights activists to one year in prison for malicious denunciation and incitement to provoke chaos. They were also ordered to pay 10 million riel to tycoon Heng Huy, whose company is involved in a land conflict in the province.
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Koh Kong
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The Koh Kong Provincial Court sentenced local female land rights activists Phav Nheung and Seng Lin to one year in prison for defamation and incitement to provoke chaos. They were also ordered to pay 40 million riel to the former community representative Chhay Vy, whom they had accused of having seized land in 2019.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the Sihanoukville Appeal Court to sentence Koh Kong land activist Det Huor to six months in prison and a one million riel fine, both suspended. Huor was convicted of malicious denunciation and defamation following a complaint by tycoon Heng Huy, whose company is involved in a land conflict in Koh Kong province, over a Facebook post she published on September 2021.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
Phmon Penh police arrested a 30-year old chef for posting a 'threatening' and 'inciteful' video about outgoing Prime Minister Hun Sen on TikTok. He reportedly confessed posting the video with the intention of causing unrest to national security and insulting the leadership of the RGC in police custody. The case was sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for legal action.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
Phnom Penh police arrested a 35-year-old garment worker for allegedly insulting soon-to-be Prime Minister Hun Manet in a 30 July TikTok video. Police said she would be charged with 'insult and incitement' and sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for legal action on 2 Aug. If found guilty, she could face up to three years in prison.
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Kompong Cham
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or former opposition members
The National Election Committee upheld a decision convicting four oppositions members and activists for alledgelly inciting spoiled ballots during the national election. They were previously fined to pay $2.400 each and banned from standing for elections for the next 10 years. One of the defendants argued he was charged due to two Facebook posts he made during the first day of the national election campaign as there was no sufficient evidence to substain the allegations. The individuals were expected to file an appeal to the Constitutional Council.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Two Cambodian opposition party members were arrested for allegedly inciting voters to spoil ballots, ahead of a national elections. Ly Ry and Bun Kheit of the opposition Candlelight Party were arrested for "inciting people to destroy ballots", Interior ministry spokesman said.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
Authorities ordered internet service providers to block the websites and social media accounts of nine domains, including news outlets Cambodia Daily Khmer, and Radio Free Asia, just days ahead of the general elections held on July 23. The outlets were accused of misrepresenting the government’s reputation and prestige and of failing to meet the conditions established by the Ministry of Information for doing business. Similarly, government also blocked Kamnotra, a recently launched database developed by the Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM) that consolidated information, public data, or documents to be accessible, clear, and searchable, constituting a vital tool for Cambodian citizens to exercise their right to access to information
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Bangkok
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Candlelight Party youth activist Thol Samnang who fled alleged political persecution in Cambodia was arrested by Thai authorities while heading to the UNHCR office in Bangkok. and taken to the Suan Phlu immigration detention centre where he is facing deportation. Samnang left the country after being persecuted by members of the police for a Facebook post titled “Youth Love Democracy” that showed pictures of ruling CPP supporters with a red X over their faces and a crude description.
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Boeng Tamok District, Phnom Penh
Land rights and forced evictions
On 3 July 2023, a Boeng Tamok resident, Am Phoeun, was summoned to appear in a Phnom Penh court after a clash with district authorities over a community bridge. Phoeun was accused of illegally appropriating private property and using violence against real estate owners. The plaintiffs were Thai Ouy, Tang Kim, and Ngoun Mong, who Phoeun claimed she did not know. Phoeun believes the summons was a response to a May altercation with authorities, when herself and her neighbours blocked security guards from dismantling a small bridge that the Boeng Tamok residents had built to improve their access to fishing locations. Following the incident, she did not file a complaint as she believed that there was no one who wanted to support her community.
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Koh Kong
Land rights and forced evictions
A group of 11 villagers from Koh Kong province who have been involved in a long-running land dispute with a Chinese-backed company and a ruling party senator were arrested on 29 June. They were arrested at a roadblock on the way to Phnom Penh where they had planned to petition a government minister and were charged with criminal incitement.
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Phnom Penh
Legislative and institutional developments relevant to human rights
The National Assembly unanimously approved an amendment to the election law that prohibits those who do not vote in the July 2023 elections from running for office in the next elections.
RFA | PPP | Khmer Times
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Sen Sok district, Phnom Penh
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
The Ministry of Interior Public issued a letter to temporarily suspended the activity of the Coalition of Cambodian Farmers Community (CCFC) until the court finishes investigating the criminal cases. However, on 17 June, Prime Minister Hun Sen called for the reinstatement of the CCFC and for criminal charges against three of its members to be dropped.
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Kandal
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
On 12 June 2023, a group of nearly 3000 workers from Starlight Factory in Kandal province protested in front of the factory demanding better working conditions and the reinstatement of some 3000 workers who had their employment suspended for two months by the factory owners. The protest continued on 13 June, where workers demanded that the new managers of the factory who suspended the workers be removed. Workers have reported that the new managers (Sun Veasna, and Meng Socheat) have placed pressure on workers to produce more clothing, have made workers provide their thumbprint if they want to continue working, and have suspended workers without reason. Additionally, an employee and union member, Ros Sambo, said Socheat threatened union leaders and workers that legal action would be taken if they did not stop their strike.
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Banteay Meanchey
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Sin Vatha, the Banteay Meanchey provincial Candlelight Party Chief, was fired from his high school teaching position and claims it was due to his political activities. The letter he received from the Ministry of Education states that it was due to the "professional misconduct of a civil servant". However, Vatha did not receive any written or verbal warning prior to receiving this letter.
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Online
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Two opposition Candlelight Party commune councilors, Um Yet (the commune’s second councilor), and Seang Han (secretary) were detained on charges of incitement regarding remarks made over the phone about Sam Rainsy coming to Indonesia and Malaysia. Yet and Han were sent to Phnom Penh’s Prey Sar prison for pre-trial detention on the same day of arrest.
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Bavet city, Svay Rieng
Acts of Discrimination
The SHEICO (Cambodia) Co LTD company fired a pregnant union worker, Ms. Sun Chamroeun, after she requested to take leave to take care of her sick child.
