Cambodian human rights defenders released after more than one year in prison

On 18 August 2021, human rights defender and labour rights activist Rong Chhun was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by a municipal court in Cambodia on the charges of “incitement to commit a felony”. Rong Chhun had been under pretrial detention at Phnom Penh’s Correctional Center 1 since 31 July 2020, after being arrested for a statement he issued on the demarcation of the border between Cambodia and Vietnam which has stripped several farmers of their land. Human rights defenders Sar Kanika and Ton Nimol were also sentenced to twenty months each in prison on the charges of “incitement to cause social disorder” for publicly calling for Rong Chhun’s release from prison. Along with a fine of 2 million riel each (418 Euro), the three human rights defenders have also been ordered to pay 400 million riel (83,613 Euro) to the Cambodian Border Affairs Committee as compensation.

Rong Chhun is the President of the independent Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU) and a member of the Cambodia Watchdog Council. He was the former president of the Cambodian Independent Teacher's Association (CITA), an organisation that promotes solidarity between the private and public sector teachers, irrespective of colour, race, sex, religion or political belief. He has been a vocal human rights defender and has long raised concerns about the plight of farmer’s and worker’s rights.

On 20 July 2020 Rong Chhun issued a statement citing the details of irregularities in the placement of border posts and the losses of hundreds of hectares of land belonging to Cambodian farmers. The statement was issued following the human rights defender’s visit to Tbong Khmom Province, bordering Cambodia, and his interactions with resident farmers. Rong Chhun was arrested soon after the statement was issued, after the Cambodian Border Affairs Committee rejected his findings and accused him of spreading fake news. The human rights defender has been a target of judicial harassment since 2015 for his activism and work in the defence of human rights.

Front Line Defenders condemns the sentencing of Rong Chhun, Sar Kanika and Ton Nimol and calls for their immediate and unconditional release, as it believes that they are being targeted solely as a result of their peaceful and legitimate human rights work and fighting against injustice. Furthermore, it is deeply concerned by the continuous reprisals against human rights defenders and suppression of dissent in Cambodia.