ARTICLE

Timeline: Recently Imprisoned Human Rights Defenders in Cambodia

Published on 22 September 2020
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Nineteen activists, artists and human rights defenders have been imprisoned since July for peacefully exercising their constitutional rights to free expression and assembly. This relentless crackdown began with the nighttime arrest of union leader Rong Chhun following public statements he made after visiting farming communities living along the Vietnam border. Over the next month and a half, activists who publicly called for Chhun’s release were arrested and sent to pre-trial detention. They face up to two years in prison if judged guilty.

The crackdown soon extended beyond activists calling for Rong Chhun’s release. Environmental activists, young rappers and a Buddhist monk have all been imprisoned for speaking out about issues affecting their country and communities. Former members of the outlawed political opposition party have also been jailed. Representatives from a number of international bodies have condemned the arrests or publicly called for the release of these imprisoned human rights defenders, who remain locked in Cambodia’s overcrowded prisons. These are the men and women who have lost their freedom while exercising their fundamental rights.

July 31Sept. 20
related to calls for release of political prisoners
related to peaceful expression over societal issues
related to environmental activism
related to political activism
July 31 – Cambodian Confederation of Unions president Rong Chhun is arrested and then charged with “incitement to cause social unrest” under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code following a visit to the Cambodia-Vietnam border on July 20 as part of the non-governmental Cambodia Watchdog Council before being sent to pretrial detention in Phnom Penh’s Correctional Centre 1 (CC1).August 4 – Former Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) Svay Rieng Province youth secretary Chum Puthy is arrested and then charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code and sent to pretrial detention in CC1.August 4 – Former CNRP Dangkor district team member Chhou Peng is arrested and then charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code before being sent to pretrial detention in CC1.August 7 – Khmer Thavrak youth group member and former CNRP activist Sar Kanika is arrested and then charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code before being sent to pretrial detention in CC2.August 13 – Khmer Thavrak member Chhoeun Daravy is arrested and then charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code before being sent to pretrial detention in CC2. The youth activist was dragged into a van by her hair after her belongings were forcibly seized by district security forces during a peaceful protest calling for Rong Chhun’s release.August 13 – Khmer Thavrak member Hun Vannak is arrested and then charged with incitement before being sent to pretrial detention at CC1. Vannak was arrested mid-livestream while walking home from a peaceful demonstration calling for Rong Chhun’s release.August 14 – Khmer Win Party president Suong Sophorn is arrested and then charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code before being sent to pretrial detention in CC1. Sophorn had publicly called for Rong Chhun’s release and had visited the same posts on the Vietnam border that Chhun viewed before his arrest.September 3 – Mother Nature Cambodia environmental movement member Long Kunthea is arrested and then charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code before being sent to pretrial detention in CC2. Kunthea had been planning a peaceful one-woman march from Wat Phnom to the Prime Minister’s residence to raise awareness of the filling-in of Boeung Tamok lake in the capital’s north.September 3 – Mother Nature Cambodia member Phuon Keoreaksmey is arrested and then charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code before being sent to pretrial detention in CC2.September 3 – Mother Nature Cambodia member Thun Ratha is arrested and then charged with incitement under Articles 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code before being sent to pretrial detention in CC1.September 5 – 22-year-old Cambodian rapper Kea Sokun is arrested in Siem Reap four months after posting a popular song called “Dey Khmer” – Khmer Land. The song, which had more than 1.5 million views on YouTube at the time of Sokun’s arrest, mentioned Cambodia’s borders. The rapper is charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code and sent to pre-trial detention in Siem Reap.September 6 – Buddhist monk and Khmer Thavrak member Venerable Koet Saray is arrested, defrocked and charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code before being sent to pretrial detention at CC1.September 6 – Khmer Student Intelligent League Association (KSILA) vice-president Mean Prommony is arrested and then charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code before being sent to pretrial detention in CC1.September 6 – Former CNRP Memot district council chief Kong Sam An is arrested and then charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code before being sent to pre-trial detention in CC1.September 7 – Khmer Thavrak member Tha Lavy is arrested by police while trying to attend a peaceful demonstration at Phnom Penh’s Freedom Park. He is charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code before being sent to pretrial detention in CC1.September 7 – Khmer Thavrak member Eng Malai, also known as So Meta, is arrested after leaving the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Malai had attended a peaceful demonstration at Freedom Park earlier that day to call for the release of Rong Chhun and other imprisoned activists. Malai is charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code and sent to pretrial detention in CC2.September 7 – 17-year-old rapper Long Putheara is arrested by authorities in Siem Reap and charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 of the Criminal Code before being sent to pre-trial detention in Siem Reap. Theara had previously collaborated with Kea Sokun on a number of rap songs focused on social issues.September 9 – Former elected CNRP commune councillor Pen Mom is sentenced to five years in prison on plotting charges by the Kampot Provincial Court under Article 453 of the Criminal Code. Mom, who was previously detained alongside dozens of other former CNRP members in the lead-up to former opposition leader Sam Rainsy’s failed return to Cambodia in November last year before being released on bail, was arrested immediately after the verdict’s reading.September 10 – KSILA member Moung Sopheak is arrested and charged with incitement under Article 494 and 495 before being sent to pre-trial detention in CC1.

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Resources

Prisoners of Interest

Read through the list of politicians, activists and unionists unjustly arrested for their peaceful activism.

Court Watch

Keep track of court cases against human rights defenders, environmental campaigners and political activists.

Right to Relief

An interactive research project focusing on over-indebted land communities struggling with microfinance debt.

Cambodia's Concessions

Use an interactive map to explore Cambodia’s land concessions.