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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Preah Sihanouk
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The Preah Sihanouk Court of Appeal upheld the conviction against Cheng Baorong, a Chinese human-trafficking rescuer and leader of the Cambodia-China Charity group, an informal group helping victims of human trafficking, forced labor, and torture at scam compounds mainly in Preak Sihanouk province. The Appeal Court suspended part of his sentence, ruling he would serve ten months in prison instead of two years. Cheng Baorong was arrested, and charged with incitement to discriminate, false declaration, unlawful interference in the discharge of public functions, and illegal use of a certificate of the profession in March 2022 after speaking out about the “blood slave” case in which a Chinese national trafficked into a scam compound claimed his blood was forcibly harvested to pay alleged debts owed to a scam employer. Cheng Baorong was later convicted alongside his assistant, a doctor, and the Chinese victim and sentenced to two years of imprisonment. He was released from prison on 2 January 2023.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
The Phnom Penh Appeal Court upheld the conviction of Kak Sovanncchay, a teenager with autism, of incitement and insulting public officials in 2021 over messages he sent in private group chats and a Facebook post criticizing the government in response to comments made on his father, a jailed senior official of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). The Appeal Court, however, eased but did not remove the probation measures against Sovaancchay. This second appeal trial came after the Supreme Court upheld his conviction but ordered the retrial of his case on the court supervision conditions in October 2022.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The Phnom Penh Appeal Court upheld the conviction ruling of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court against Son Chhay, the Vice-President of the Candlelight Party. Chhay was found guilty of defamation against the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the Nation Election Committee (NEC) after denouncing irregularities and electoral fraud in the June commune elections. The Appeal Court also ordered him to pay 4 billion riels (USD 1 million) in damages, increasing by a third the fine imposed by the lower court (USD 750,000). A few days later, Prime Minister Hun Sen warned, during a public speech in Sihanoukville, that any individual who defamed the CPP would be sued, stating that the lawsuit against Son Chhay was to eradicate the culture of defamation.
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Pursat
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
Environmental activist Kuch Veng reported that commune authorities in Pursat province prevented him from holding a celebration to mark International Human Rights Day. He said that police and security guards blocked the 40 participants from accessing Kbal Trach commune's Ratanak Rainsgsei pagoda, where the event was planned to be held. The deputy commune chief explained that Veng had to request permission from the district authorities before organizing the event. The Cambodian Human Rights Committee later added that the Pursat authorities' action was justified because the organizers had allegedly not followed proper protocol. The participants ultimately celebrated Human Rights Day at a community member's house.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
The Phnom Penh Municipal Court denied the bail request of NagaWorld Union Leader Chhim Sithar, who was arrested and detained at the Phnom Penh airport upon her return from a trip abroad for allegedly violating her bail conditions.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Three union workers from Kampong Speu's Cinlon International factory sent a letter to the Labor Ministry to denounce the factory's union-busting. They alleged they were terminated only a few days after forming a pro-worker union - the Khmer Workers' Rights Union - in June 2022 to protect workers against labor rights violations by the factory. In their letter, the three dismissed unionists asked the Labor Ministry to intervene again after the latter had already requested the factory to reinstate the workers in July 2022, a directive the Cinlon factory ignored. The head of the company's administration denied the workers' union-busting accusations, stating that the three workers were laid off due to a lack of work orders.
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Banteay Meanchey
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
After submitting a notification letter to Banteay Meanchey provincial police and Poipet city administration on 21 November 2022, Cambodia Development People Life Association President Prom Bunthorn was forbidden from putting up the organization's logo outside its Poipet branch office. The city authorities stated they also needed a letter from the property owner. Bunthorn said the Cambodia Development People Life Association - a Phnom Penh-headquartered organization informing informal workers and rural residents about their rights - was officially registered with the Interior Ministry and, therefore, only required to notify the authorities, not seek their permission. The Poipet city governor commented he had not heard about the incident but confirmed that the organization could not be prevented from putting up its logo if it was registered.
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Svay Rieng
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
The Bavet City police chief reportedly ordered Luos Seng News journalist Prum Chantha and other reporters to delete a video of a traffic accident they were live-streaming on 2 November 2022. The police chief also grabbed their phones after the reporters refused to comply and threatened to handcuff them. Luos Seng News publisher Luos Seng stated he had filed a complaint in court against the Bavet City police chief on 21 November 2022 on behalf of his journalist Prum Chantha for threatening him and reporters from other media outlets. Luos Seng further claimed that the Svay Rieng provincial court prosecutor had asked the journalists to “compromise” and not file a complaint, although he said he would investigate the incident.
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Kampong Speu
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
Three union workers from Kampong Speu's Cinlon International factory sent a letter to the Labor Ministry to denounce the factory's union-busting. They alleged they were terminated only a few days after forming a pro-worker union - the Khmer Workers' Rights Union - in June 2022 to protect workers against labor rights violations by the factory. In their letter, the three dismissed unionists asked the Labor Ministry to intervene again after the latter had already requested the factory to reinstate the workers in July 2022, a directive the Cinlon factory ignored. The head of the company's administration denied the workers' union-busting accusations, stating that the three workers were laid off due to a lack of work orders.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Prumnea: តុលាការកំពូលសម្រេចតម្កល់សាលដីការបស់សាលាឧទ្ធរណ៍រាជធានីភ្នំពេញ ដែលបានផ្ដន្ទាទោសបុគ្គលិក និងអតីតបុគ្គលិកចំនួន ៥នាក់ របស់អង្កការសិទ្ធិមនុស្សមួយគឺ សមាគមការពារសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស និងអភិវឌ្ឍន៍នៅកម្ពុជា (អាដហុក) ដោយមិនបានបញ្ជាក់ឱ្យលម្អិតពីមូលហេតុនៃការសម្រេចនេះនោះទេ។ នី សុខា យី សុខសាន្ត លឹម មុនី ណៃ វ៉ង់ដា និងនី ចរិយា ដែលត្រូវបានស្គាល់ថាជា "អាដហុក៥" ត្រូវបានចាប់ខ្លួននៅឆ្នាំ២០១៦ និងចោទប្រកាន់ពីបទសូកប៉ាន់សាក្សី បន្ទាប់ពីសមាគមការពារសិទ្ធិមនុស្សអាដហុកបានផ្ដល់ជំនួយហិរញ្ញវត្ថុទៅស្ដ្រីម្នាក់ ដែលត្រូវបានចោទប្រកាន់ថាមានជាប់ពាក់ព័ន្ធនឹងរឿងទំនាក់ទំនងស្នេហាជាមួយថ្នាក់ដឹងនាំគណបក្សប្រឆាំង លោក កឹម សុខា។ បុគ្គលិក និងអតីតបុគ្គលិករបស់សមាគមការពារសិទ្ធិមនុស្សទាំងអស់នេះ ត្រូវបានផ្ដន្ទាទោសឱ្យជាប់ពន្ធនាគារចំនួន៥ឆ្នាំ ដោយសាលាដំបូងរាជធានីភ្នំពេញនៅខែកញ្ញា ឆ្នាំ២០២១៨។ សាលក្រមនេះត្រូវបានសាលាឧទ្ធរណ៍ភ្នំពេញតម្កល់នៅខែឧសភា ឆ្នាំ២០២២។ ករណីនេះ ត្រូវបានរងការរិះគន់យ៉ាងខ្លាំងថាមានហេតុផលនយោបាយ ដោយសារតែព្រះរាជអាជ្ញាមិនបានបង្ហាញសាក្សី ឬផ្ដល់ភស្ដុតាំងដែលអាចទុកចិត្តបានដើម្បីគាំទ្រការចោទប្រកាន់នេះ។
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Siem Reap
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
Siem Reap's Balaing commune village chief Penh Pren was removed from his position after attempting to join a protest organized by over 200 families at Run Ta Ek relocation site to contest the use of their former farms to resettle Angkor evictees. The village chief claimed that the dispute started in 2005, when the Apsara authority, which oversees Angkor park, took the villagers' farmland and promised them compensation, which they still had not received as of November 2022. Their farmlands were later included in the relocation site the Cambodian Government picked to resettle around 4,000 people evicted from Angkor park. Balaing commune chief stated that Penh Pren was fired due to multiple "mistakes" he allegedly made in 2019 - notably taking people's money and insulting monks and top leaders - and complaints from villagers. However, the protesters reported that Penh Pren has been very active in attempting to protect villagers involved in land disputes and that his dismissal was a threat to stop protesting the Apsara Authority's decisions.
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Battambang
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Battambang Candlelight Party official Ley Sokhon was convicted of trespassing and sentenced to six months in prison. He was arrested and detained in June 2022 after attempting to document fraud during the commune elections. The Candlelight Party activist recorded a video involving an argument with Cambodian People's Party (CPP) officials carrying a list of voters and recording their names. The video also shows Sokhon following the CCP officials to a villager's house and giving the latter a bundle of money, although the villager denied it was a bribe received to vote for the CPP. Following the incident, the villager filed a complaint for trespassing against Sokhon but later withdrew it. The case is believed to be politically motivated, as the Candlelight Party has accused the National Election Committee and the ruling party of committing irregularities during the elections.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
Journalists from the independent media outlets Voice of America (VOA) and Voice of Democracy (VOD) were banned from the post-ASEAN summit press conference held by the Prime Minister at the Peace Palace to answer foreign and local reporters' questions about the summit. They were denied access to the conference room two hours before the event's start despite having been issued press passes by the Ministry of Information to attend the event. Following the incident, VOA, VOD, and the Overseas Press Club of Cambodia (OPCC) released a press statement calling on the Government to denounce the discrimination against the journalists of the two media outlets and ask the Government to explain why they were denied access to the press conference. When asked about the incident, the Information Ministry spokesperson stated he wasn't sure about the procedure. The Royal Government delegate in charge of the Director General of the General Department of Information and Audiovisual said the restriction was due to limited space.
RFI | RFA | VOA | VOD | opc-cambodia
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Ex-CNRP commune chief in Kampong Speu, Kim Tola, was arrested at the Phnom Penh International Airport over a recent conviction while about to travel abroad to meet with her husband. She was sent to the capital's Prey Sar Prison the next day. Kim Tola was convicted of incitement to commit a felony and sentenced to 18 years in prison by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in August 2022 alongside other ex-CNRP activists in a trial believed to be politically motivated. Tola stated that she did not know she was wanted by the police.
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Kampong Chhnang
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
On 26 October 2022, during a public speech in Kampong Chhnang province, the Prime Minister threatened the main opposition Candelight Party with dissolution over its purported ties with ex-CNRP leader Sam Rainsy, who created the party, and called on its members to defect from the party. Shortly after, the Candlelight Party reported that its commune councilors in various provinces were being coerced by the local authorities into thumbprinting a letter condemning the ex-CNRP leader. According to the opposition party, about 200 of its commune councilors had signed the petition out of fear. The Candlelight party released a statement on 27 October 2022, calling for an end to the intimidation of its commune councilors and denying any affiliation with Sam Rainsy. Following these threats and coercive actions, the ruling party announced on 30 October 2022 that it had welcomed at least 2,000 new members, mainly Candlelight Party defectors, to its ranks. The Prime Minister's threats to dissolve any party that would associate with Sam Rainsy, especially the Candlelight Party, came after the latter called the King a traitor during a speech.
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Battambang
Violations of Free and Fair Elections Principles
Primer Minister Hun Sen appealed to the people to vote for the Cambodian People's Party while distributing groceries and food supplies to over ten thousand families affected by the floodings in Battambang province visiting western provinces affected by the latest flooding. Following heavy flooding in the provinces, the Prime Minister decided to go on a tour to provide relief assistance to the flood-affected family, which he was accused of taking advantage of for election campaigning.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on freedom of expression assembly or association
Nine garment workers were laid off by Puma's supplier Eastcrown Footwear Industries after they attempted to form a union, considering themselves victims of exploitation and violations of their labor rights. The workers stated that they were forced to work overtime, denied leave requests, and made to attend meetings before work or during breaks. The company first tried to get them to join the company's own union, which they declined as, according to them, the existing union had never helped the workers. Seven were dismissed on 11 October 2022, while two others received their termination letters on 22 and 24 October 2022. Eastcorwn Footwear Industries denied the workers' union-busting claims but did not further elaborate on the matter. Puma stated they had paid a visit to the company, had not found any involuntary overtime work issues, and had reached a financial settlement with the workers. The latter, however, said they were not aware of any visit from Puma or settlement. The dismissed employees said they had filed a complaint with the Ministry of Labor.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Ex-CNRP opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who has been living in exile abroad since 2015, was convicted absentia of attempting to cede territory to a foreign entity and sentenced by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to life imprisonment. The court's decision is based on a video of a meeting held in 2013 between Sam Rainsy and the Jarai head of the US-based Montagnard Foundation, an organization that works to protect the rights of the Degar, indigenous population living in Vietnam. The video, which was anonymously posted to Facebook in 2018, shows Rainsy promising to uphold the rights of Cambodia's indigenous peoples if the outlawed CNRP won the upcoming national elections and signed a document with three articles from the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples relating to self-determination rights for minorities. The opposition figure was also stripped of all political rights. Deemed politically motivated by the defense, this conviction is the latest of an extensive list that has already sentenced him to 47 years of imprisonment.
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Tbong Khmum
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Po Hin Lian, a Candlelight Party supporter, was found dead in a rice field near his house in Tbong Khmum province. His body had bullet wounds, suggesting that he had been shot. Hin Lean reportedly left the house in the early morning to go fishing. A few hours later, the villagers heard gunshots. After being informed of the incident, Hin Lean's wife went to the field and found out her husband had been murdered. The two uniformed police officers at the scene told her a village guard had gunned her husband down. However, she stated that village guards were unarmed and that only police officers carried guns, which the village chief later confirmed. It is believed that Hin Lean's murder was at the hands of police and appeared to be connected to small-scale illegal fishing. However, Hin Lean's known support for the main opposition party has raised questions as to the real motive for his murder, as opposition supporters had been increasingly targeted in the province. Following the incident, three commune police officers and three village guards were detained by the provincial police.
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Stung Treng
Torture, arrests and illegal detentions
A man suspected of stealing a military police car was violently arrested and handcuffed in front of his young child. The video of the incident, posted on Facebook on 5 October 2022, shows several police officers stopping a car and grabbing and unnecessarily kicking the suspect. The latter is also heard yelling at the authorities not to beat him and that he did not steal the vehicle. The video, shared over 20,000 times, sparked public criticism of the police. However, the Stung Treng spokesperson defended the use of violence by police in arrests related to "red-handed" crimes. Stung Treng provincial police also stated that the violence was justified because the man had been suspected of stealing a military police car.
