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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Mondulkiri
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Four ethnic minority villagers in Mondulkiri province's Pech Chreada district are called in for questioning by police over a picture posted by the group to Facebook in support of 4 jailed ADHOC staff members and a national election official. The picture was posted on 9 May, the first day of the 'Black Monday' protest campaign.
Khmertimes | PPP | Khmertimes | PPP
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Phnom Penh
Torture, arrests and illegal detentions
Five peaceful protestors are arrested during the second of the 'Black Monday' protests.
CAM | Khmertimes | PPP | CAM | Khmertimes | PPP
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Phnom Penh
Torture, arrests and illegal detentions
The first 'Black Monday' protest sees six arrested, among them two human rights officers. The demonstration, which continued throughout 2016, involves supporters wearing a black t-shirt every Monday in protest against the detention of ADHOC staff members Ny Sokha, Yi Soksan, Nay Vanda, and Lim Mony, along with fromer ADHOC staff member and current deputy secretary general of the National Election Committe Ny Chakrya.
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Kandal
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
500 factory workers in Kandal province demonstrate in support of Chem Somphose, Vay Vanny, and Eng Sovann, worker representatives allegedly fired without cause.
Khmertimeskh | PPP | Khmertimeskh | PPP
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Phnom Penh
Physical and judicial threats against journalists and or human rights defenders
Four ADHOC staff - Lim Mony, Ny Sokha, Yi Soksan and Nay Vanda are charged with bribery of a witness, while NEC official Ny Chakrya and OHCHR staffer Sally Soen are charged as accomplices. The charges follow investigation by the Anti-Corruption Unit in relation to an alleged affair involving CNRP deputy President Kem Sokha. Civil society states the investigation and charges are politically motivated, and amounts to legal harassment of human rights defenders.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Ou Virak, head of the Future Forum think tank and former CCHR President, had a defamation complaint filed against him by the CPP for suggesting that the ruling party was using a sex scandal involving CNRP Vice President Kem Sokha as a means to damage the political opposition.
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Phnom Penh
Torture, arrests and illegal detentions
Sut Chet and Chea Udom, from the Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW), were beaten by police at a peaceful gathering near Cambodia's National Assembly that was protesting against the draft Trade Union Law.
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Preah Vihear
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Plain clothes police officers with no identification break up a meeting between UN Special Rapporteur Rhona Smith and ethnic Kuoy villagers in Preah Vihear province. The meeting had been arranged for villagers to air grievances over a concession granted to a Chinese company over land they had been farming for generations.
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Phnom Penh
Torture, arrests and illegal detentions
Former employees of Capitol Tours were arrested for distributing posters to the public which contained images of the violence they faced at the hands of the government-aligned CCDA tuk tuk association, outside the headquarters of Capitol Tours. The drivers had been previously fired for attempting to form a trade union.
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Kampong Speu
Convictions of human rights defenders
Two female activists, You Ron and Ith Rom, were charged under the land law and sent to pre-trial detention by Kampong Speu provincial court. The charges relate to a land dispute where soldiers from the military “ACO” armored vehicle unit encroached on the land of around 100 families.
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Phnom Penh
Restrictions on the freedoms of expression, assembly and association
Around 200 people who had gathered to participate in a bicycle ride for International Women's Day were blocked by mixed security forces. Participants were surrounded by police and forced to remain outside the Ministry of Women's Affairs for over three hours before they were finally allowed to leave.
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Phnom Penh
Torture, arrests and illegal detentions
14 people were injured and two protestors, Nan Vanna and labor activist Ruos Siphay, were arbitrarily detained in an incident where the police failed to intervene when around 50 protesting former employees of Capitol Tours were violently attacked by members of the pro-government Cambodia for Confederation Development Association (CCDA).
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Kompong Speu
Assassinations and extra-judicial executions of prominent figures, journalists, celebrities or outspoken dissidents
Sun David, 19, was shot dead in Kompong Speu province in what police suspected was an attack related to a land dispute involving tycoon Uk Khun. He was shot three times with an AK-47 assault rifle by a group of men in Treng Trayoeng commune.
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