Rong Chhun and
Sar Kanika amid a COVID-19 outbreak in many Cambodian prisons. Mr. Chhun, a prominent labour rights defender, is the President of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU), and a member of the Cambodian Watchdog Council (CWC)[1]. Ms. Kanika is a member of the youth group Khmer Thavrak[2]
and an ex-member of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).
On June 8, 2021, Rong Chhun and Sar Kanika were denied bail by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, which claimed that the crime for which they have been detained affects social security and is therefore unbailable. Rong Chhun and Sar Kanika were not present at the bail hearing as prison officers requested the court to suspend the transportation of inmates to tribunals due to public health concerns. Since mid-May 2021, many Cambodian prisons have been affected by an outbreak of COVID-19. These prisons include Phnom Penh’s Correction Centre 1 (CC1) and Correction Centre 2 (CC2), where the two human rights defenders rema
Muong Sopheak and Mr.
Mean Prommony, member and Vice President of the Khmer Student Intelligent League Association (KSILA)[2], respectively.
On May 18, 2021, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court rejected the bail application of the above-mentioned seven human rights defenders to ensure that they would attend their trial, which has not yet been scheduled. At the time of publication of this urgent appeal, Koet Saray, Hun Vannak, Tha Lavy, Mean Prommony, and Muong Sopheak remain detained in Phnom Penh’s Correctional Center 1 (CC1), while Chhoeun Daravy and So Metta are detained in Phnom Penh’s Correctional Center 2 (CC2).
The Observatory recalls that Hun Vannak, Chhoeun Daravy, Tha Lavy, So Metta and Muong Sopheak were arbitrarily arrested in August and September 2020 for participating in a protest calling for the release of a prominent union leader
Cambodia: Ongoing arbitrary detention of Khmer Thavrak and KSILA members
20/05/2021
Arbitrary detention /
May 20, 2021
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of the World Organisation Against Torture and FIDH, has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Cambodia. New information:
Hun Vannak, Ms.
Muong Sopheak and Mr. Mean Prommony, member and Vice President of the Khmer Student Intelligent League Association (KSILA) [2], respectively.
On May 18, 2021, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court rejected the bail application of the above-mentioned seven human rights defenders to ensure that they would attend their trial, which has not yet been scheduled. At the time of publication of this urgent appeal, Koet Saray, Hun Vannak, Tha Lavy, Mean Prommony, and Muong Sopheak remain detained in Phnom Penh’s Correctional Center 1 (CC1), while Chhoeun Daravy and So Metta are detained in Phnom Penh’s C