Human Rights Legal Officeadvocating for victims through the courts
The judiciary in Cambodia is corrupt and deteriorating. Authorities use and abuse the courts to prevent human rights activism through the threat of legal action and groundless criminal charges leading to the arrest and detention of political prisoners and human rights defenders. New legislation passed by the Cambodian government is being used to crack down further on human rights defenders. Impunity reigns: people of wealth and influence pay their way out of police custody and the courts.
At the same time, there are an increasing amount of human rights abuses being perpetrated by the government, powerful companies and individuals. A lack of legal aid lawyers in Cambodia means that these individuals are often without legal representation, leaving them more vulnerable to the corrupt practices of the judiciary or grossly unfair out-of-court settlements.
What we do
In this challenging environment, the Human Rights Legal Office aims to assist human rights victims by providing professional and honest legal representation. The Office's activities include:
- Providing free legal representation in certain types of human rights violation cases: land evictions, human rights defenders and gender based violence (rape, domestic abuse and sex trafficking) and, on a case-by-case basis, in situations of torture by the police/in prisons and illegal arrests
- Providing human rights victims with legal advice through the Human Rights Legal Office paralegal team
- Referring human rights victims to other non-governmental organizations providing free legal services
- Coordinating with the Medial Office and Social Office to ensure that human rights victims receive medical, psychological and material assistance
