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
Land rights and forced evictions
Boeung Tamok residents were questioned by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court amid ongoing pressure to accept a land exchange policy. While 88 houses have relocated, 21 remain. Residents, facing charges of violence, allege mistreatment and unfair compensation, with court actions perceived as tactics to force compliance.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Candlelight Party president Teav Vannol was found guilty of defamation, fined $2,500, and ordered to pay $1.5 million in compensation for criticizing Cambodia’s democracy. The court's decision, disputed by Vannol’s lawyer and human rights groups, underscores tensions over freedom of expression in Cambodia.
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Svay Rieng
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Chea Chantha, an advocate for the Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association (IDEA), was detained by police and sent to pre-trial detention by the Svay Rieng Provincial Court on July 19, facing a potential three-year prison term for activities causing misapprehension with the discharge of public functions.Chea Chantha was detained after being arrested on July 16 in Bavet, near the Vietnamese border, while discussing the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) with workers. He was conducting a workshop about climate change and the NSSF, which guarantees medical services and disability benefits to workers. Chantha was charged with fraud and "activities causing misapprehension with the discharge of public functions.
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Battambang province
Disproportionate measures or punishments for breaches of the COVID-19 law
ព្រះសង្ឃព្រះនាម ស៊ាង រិទ្ធី ត្រូវបានបណ្តេញចេញពីវត្តដំរីស កាលពីថ្ងៃទី១៥ ខែកក្កដា បន្ទាប់ពីព្រះអង្គបានចូលរួមការដើរហែរក្បួនដោយសន្តិវិធីដើម្បីរំលឹកខួប មរណភាពលោកបណ្ឌិត កែម ឡី ។ ការដើរហែក្បួនបានធ្វើឡើងកាលពីថ្ងៃទី១០ ខែកក្កដា អំពាវនាវឱ្យមានការដោះលែងសកម្មជនបរិស្ថាន និងត្រូវបានអាជ្ញាធរប៉ុនប៉ងរារាំងឱ្យធ្វើសកម្មភាព។
ucanews | cambodiadaily | rfa
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Koh Kong
Land rights and forced evictions
Chorng indigenous people in Koh Kong, Cambodia, face arrests and lawsuits over rotational farming in a REDD+ zone with unclear boundaries. On June 27, 2024, Pork Nget, a farmer, was arrested for allegedly encroaching on protected land, despite community claims that the boundaries were unknown. Nget's arrest highlights ongoing conflicts between indigenous practices and conservation efforts.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Ten activists from a prominent youth-led environmental group in Cambodia have been sentenced to between six and eight years in jail in a case human rights experts have widely condemned.
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Kampong Speu
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
On 20 June 2024, Chea Chan, a union leader at Wing Star Shoes in Cambodia, was sentenced to one year for theft, with six months in jail. The verdict, criticised as unjust, raises labor rights concerns.
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Battambang province
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
On 13 June 2024, the Battambang Provincial Court sentenced Khmer Will Party district councilor Uth Choeung to seven years in prison on plotting charges for allegedly gathering supporters ahead of opposition leader Sam Rainsy's failed return in 2019. The Court also issued a warrant for his arrest. A local LICADHO representative said the move amounted to "prosecution."
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Banteay Meanchey
Torture, arrests and illegal detentions
On 10 June 2024, authorities arrested three women in Poipet over their alleged involvement in a protest of goods cart haulers. They were charged with cobstruction of public officials, public insult and intentional violence. Civil society groups have criticized the arrest, calling it a serious violation of human rights.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
On 31 May 2024, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Candlelight Party Vice-President Thach Setha to 18 months in prison and a 5M riel fine for issuing fake checks in 2019.
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Battambang province
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
On 13 May, authorities detained Khmer Will Party member Phou Sovantha on defamation and incitement charges following a complaint by ex-CP official Dim Saroeun, who defected to the ruling CPP. Sovantha was seemingly sent to pre-trial detention.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
On 9 May 2024, authorities arrested Nation Power Party leader Sun Chanthy at the Phnom Penh International Airport upon his arrival from Japan. He had previously criticized the 2023 general election in a Facebook video dated 7 May 2024, saying it had been conducted "without freedom and justice." Chanthy was charged with inciting social disorder and sent to pre-trial detention on 9 May.
cambojanews | apnews | khmer.voanews | rfa
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Kampong Cham province
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
On 9 May 2024, authorities arrested and temporarily detained CP members and commune officials Dum Khun and Sim Sam On, before releasing them on 10 May. No explanation was provided. The CP said the move constituted a threat aimed at eliminating legitimate political activities.
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Phnom Penh
Convictions of HRDs
On 7 May 2024, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced in abstentia Cambodian Tourism and Service Workers’ Federation leader Morm Rithy to 18 months in prison for incitement and discrediting a judicial decision over comments he made on social media in February 2022. He was subsequently arrested and placed in Prey Sar prison.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
Prison officials have stopped family members from visiting environmental activists who were convicted earlier this week in a case that more than 50 Cambodian NGOs called a “mockery of justice” and “a national shame.”
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Phnom Penh
Convictions of HRDs
On 3 May 2024, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction of LRSU leader Chhim Sithar and seven other union activists over their involvement in peaceful strikes to demand a solution to a labour dispute with NagaWorld.
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Kampong Cham
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
On 27 April 2024, police arrested CP official Kong Thareth, a second deputy chief for Veal Vong commune, at his home and brought him to the Kampong Cham Provincial Court for questioning. No reason was given for the arrest. According to the CP, authorities had arrested 12 CP activists in 2024 as of that date.
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Battambang
Violence against activists
On 10 April 2024, six unidentified attackers severely beat San Bunchhay, a Cambodian-Australian opposition supporter known for criticizing Cambodia’s government on social media. The attack left him with a bleeding head and bruises over his entire body, forcing him to seek treatment at a nearby hospital.
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Phnom Penh
Physical or judicial harassment or threats against journalists HRDs or opposition members
On 5 April 2024, Khmer Student Intelligent League Association Koet Saray was arrested in Phnom Penh and charged with “committing a misdemeanour after sentencing for a misdemeanour” and “incitement to commit a felony” under Articles 88, 494, and 495 of the Criminal Code over comments he made on a land dispute in Preah Vihear province. He was sent to pre-trial detention on 7 April 2024.
cambojanews | rfa | licadho-cambodia | rfa
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Preah Vihear
Land rights and forced evictions
At least 30 residents of Srayong Commune in Kulen district have been charged under Article 259 of the Land Law for allegedly illegally occupying state land. The suspects are currently in pre-trial detention at Preah Vihear provincial prison, and face fines of 5-50 million real and jail terms of 1 to 5 years if found guilty. The arrests come after a large clash between authorities and residents amidst an ongoing oland dispute since the state handed land concessions to a company in an area where over 130 families live.
