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
Violence against activists
Two unknown assailants on a motorcycle chased an opposition deputy mayor, Choeun Virath, after he was leaving World Teacher's Day at Freedom Park; he was left with an injured hand and chest. Choeun Virath, a deputy commune chief in Meanchey district's Boeung Tumpun 2 commune, said two civilians had ridden a bike behind his tuktuk and threw a stone at his head and then quickly fled the scene. Several complaints were filed but the authorities never caught the perpetrators.
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Phnom Penh
Violence against activists
Authorities in Phnom Penh detained a 15-year old autistic boy Kak Sovanchhay for 48 hours for questioning. Sovanchhay is the son of a detained former CNRP opposition activist and the authorities claim they were questioning the boy for allegedly trying to enter into the CNRP headquarters to collect CNRP flags. The authorities released Sovanchhay after making him sign a contract promising not to enter the CNRP headquarters and to stop posting "false content" online. It also required him to post an apology video online. Sovanchhay, who has autism, said that during his detention, the police punched and beat him several times while he was handcuffed.
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Tboung Khmum
Physical and judicial threats against journalists and or human rights defenders
Four local journalists were attacked in the middle of the night by a group of five assailants. The journalists believe the suspects were timber traders seeking revenge after they had singled them out to police for committing forestry crimes. The journalists report that they were sleeping in their car when around midnight someone hurled a large log through the front driver’s window. They began to drive away but the suspects chased them with their truck, eventually crashing into them. The suspects physically assaulted the four journalists, beating them with sticks and axes, and two of them were injured.
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Siem Reap
Land rights and forced evictions
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Samdech Tea Banh announced that people living in Siem Reap province where the government plans to start construction on 38 roads covering 100 kilometers must immediately move and dismantle their homes. The Deputy Prime Minister further announced there would be no compensation for any of the impacted families as it is state land. It is unknown how many people this will effect, but approximately 300 to 400 families have reportedly already dismantled their buildings.
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Tboung Khmum
Convictions of human rights defenders
The Tbong Khmum Provincial Court sentenced seven former CNRP activists on conspiracy under Article 453 of the Criminal Code relating to them posting comments on Facebook between 2018 and 2019 in support of exiled CNRP chief Sam Rainsy, after hearing the cases on 11 September 2020. The activists were Sim Seangleng, Mean La, Yem Vanneth, Chok Hour, Kong Sam An, Van Sophat, and Choem Vannak. Five of the activists received seven years imprisonment, and two of the activists received five years imprisonment; however their sentence was suspended. Journalists and human rights monitors from LICADHO were prevented from entering the courtroom while the verdict was being handed down. Kong Sam An was the only defendant in the courtroom; the other defendants were convicted in absentia.
VOD | Cambodianess | RFA | HRW
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Police arrested Oeur Narith, the former assistant of CNRP President Mu Sochu, after accusing him of collecting money from abroad to fund a local movement to overthrow the government. He was charged with plotting under Article 453 of the Criminal Code, and if convicted, faces up to ten years imprisonment. The authorities claim that Narith began to funnel funds to local activists of the outlawed party in 2019 and continued to do so until the day he was arrested, but Narith denies these claims. He was released on bail after two days in custody on 22 September 2020.
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Siem Reap
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Authorities in Cambodia arrested 17 year old rapper Long Puthera, on charges of incitement to commit a crime under Articles 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code after he released songs which suggested that Prime Minister Hun Sen's lack of leadership had led to economic decline. Long Puthera regularly posted songs on his YouTube page under the name Thxera-Kampuchea and had thousands of followers. Puthera was the second rapper to be arrested in September in violation of freedom of expression.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Moung Sopheak, a member of the Khmer Intellectual Students Union was arrested by Police and sent to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court. The actual reason for the arrest was not specified by authorities, but it is believed to be on charges of 'incitement to commit a felony' under Articles 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code. Moung Sopheak was one of 50 youth activists who gathered peacefully near Freedom Park on 7 September 2020 to protest and call for the release of Rong Chhun and other detainees.
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Tboung Khmum
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Tbong Khmum Provincial Police arrested 24 year old farmer Nhel Thearina for Facebook and TikTok posts which stated that "Why does everyone say that Angkor Wat belongs to Khmer? Angkor Wat does not belong to Khmer. Stop posting it". Nhel Thearina wrote the post and followed it with a live video which went viral on his TikTok, which has over 100,000 followers. After receiving numerous complaints from viewers, National Police Chief General Neth Savoeun ordered Thearina's arrest, which occurred on the same day at his house. He was charged with incitement to commit a crime under Articles 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code.
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Kampot
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
On 9 September 2020, the Kampot Provincial Court sentenced Pen Mom, a former CNRP activist and member Kandal Commune Council in Teak Chhou district, Kampot to five years imprisonment on charges of ‘conspiracy’ under Article 453 of the Criminal Code.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
The Ministry of Interior published a press release on 7 September 2020 accusing groups Khmer Tharvrak and Mother Nature of inciting instability and disrupting security and public order, and being 'illegal' for failing to comply with the mandatory registration requirement of the controversial Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations (LANGO). The Ministry stated the public should not participate in ‘illegal activities’ with the groups, and ordered authorities to take action against them.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Khmer Thavrak activist Tha Lavy was arrested at Phnom Penh's Freedom Park while stepping out of tuk-tuk to attend a peaceful demonstration. Around 50 further people were barred from entering Freedom Park to conduct the protest and several others were arrested. A National Police spokesman said that police detained four people while acting on a Phnom Penh Municipal Court warrant for ‘incitement to cause social chaos’.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Khmer Thavrak activist, So Metta (also known as Eng Malai) was arrested on charges of incitement to commit a crime under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code after participating in a protest calling for the release of Rong Chhun. Earlier in the day, Metta was with a group of four Khmer Thavrak activists who had participated in the protests, and they were being followed by police officers. Realizing that the police officers were following them, the group tried to lose the police while in a tuk-tuk and went to the UN Human Rights Office in Phnom Penh to seek assistance, where they spent two hours talking to officials and requested protection. However, their request was denied. Upon leaving the office, Metta was arrested by six plain clothed police officers.
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Tboung Khmum
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
CNRP District Councillor for Memot district, Tbong Khmum, Kong Sam An, was taken into custody by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court after authorities arrested him at his home without a warrant. The Phnom Penh Municipal Court charged Kong Sam An with incitement to commit a crime under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code in relation to comments made on Facebook in 2018 and 2019 in support of exiled CNRP head Sam Rainsy. Kong Sam was sent to pre-trial detention in Prey Sar prison.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Mr. Koet Saray, a Buddhist monk and a member of the Khmer Thavrak group, and Mr. Mean Prommony, Vice-President of the Khmer Student Intelligent League Association (KSILA), were arrested by Phnom Penh police over their plan to attend a peaceful protest calling for the release of Rong Chhun. The pair were later charged by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court with ‘incitement to commit a felony’ under Articles 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code, and sent to pre-trial detention.
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Siem Reap
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Rapper Kea Sokun, creator of the rap song "Dey Khmer" was arrested for releasing the song, which discusses the border issues with Vietnam and writing social media posts criticizing Prime Minister Hun Sen’s leadership. Five men in civilian clothes went to Kea Sokun's home and asked him to film for a wedding on 4 September 2020, as part of his other business as a photographer and videographer for weddings in Siem Reap. When he agreed, the authorities detained him and sent him to pre-trial detention at Siem Reap Provincial Prison. The authorities charged him with incitement to commit a crime under Articles 494 and 495 of the Cambodian Criminal Code.
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Phnom Penh
Violence against activists
Security forces violently dispersed female protesters calling for the release of detained CNRP activists, seriously injuring one, and harming at least four others. Seng Chanthorn, the wife of CNRP’s activist Sun Thun, was admitted to the hospital after authorities threw her to the ground and caused her to pass out. A video of the assault was published on Facebook. Chanthorn was participating in the weekly ‘Black Friday’ protest in front of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, in which a group of wives and family members of 17 detained CNRP activists peacefully call for their release. Four other women reportedly suffered serious bruises and scrapes from the attack.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Three members of Mother Nature environmental group, Thun Ratha, Long Kunthea and Phuong Keo Reaksmey, were arrested after sharing plans on social media about their plans to organize a one-woman march to the Prime Ministers house to raise concerns about the development of one of Phnom Penh’s last lakes. The three activists were charged with ‘incitement to commit a felony’ under Article 495 of the Criminal Code and sent to pre-trial detention.
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Banteay Meanchey
Torture, arrests and illegal detentions
A police official in Banteay Meanchey province shot 21 year old civilian Neang Makara in the back. Rithy Piseth, a commune deputy police chief, stopped Makara around 11:30 pm while he was driving home after seeing friends for an unknown reason. Makara reportedly turned around to speak to the officer and asked him to let him go. When Makara started to drive away, Piseth shot Makara in the left shoulder blade, and the bullet became lodged near his right armpit. Makara was rushed to the provincial hospital and is recovering but in stable condition. He submitted a complaint to the Banteay Meanchey Provincial Court, however the national police have reportedly stated it as a ‘warning shot’.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Authorities blocked protesters calling for the release of Rong Chhun from marching towards the Japanese Embassy in Phnom Penh. The protesters, a group of approximately 30 union members, relatives of Rong Chhun, and youth activists, submitted a petition to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights seeking intervention in the case of Rong Chhun. The group had planned to submit the petition to the Japanese Embassy ahead of a visit of Japan’s Foreign Minister, however abandoned its attempt to because they did not want additional trouble with the authorities.