Cambodia: UN expert condemns conviction of three environmental rights defenders, urges their release
GENEVA (7 May 2021) – A UN expert today condemned a decision by a Cambodian court to sentence three environmental human rights defenders to jail terms of up to 20 months and urged the Government to release them immediately and unconditionally.
The convicted human rights defenders - Mr. Thun Ratha, Ms. Long Kunthea and Ms. Phuon Keoraksmey – are members of Mother Nature Cambodia (MNC), a non-governmental organization that advocates for the protection and preservation of Cambodia s natural environment and supports local communities in defending those rights.
The three, who were sentenced by the Phnom Penh Municipal court on charges of incitement to create social chaos, had been in pre-trial detention for eight months before the conviction.
Cambodia: UN expert condemns conviction of three environmental rights defenders, urges their release
GENEVA (7 May 2021) – A UN expert today condemned a decision by a Cambodian court to sentence three environmental human rights defenders to jail terms of up to 20 months and urged the Government to release them immediately and unconditionally.
The convicted human rights defenders - Mr. Thun Ratha, Ms. Long Kunthea and Ms. Phuon Keoraksmey – are members of Mother Nature Cambodia (MNC), a non-governmental organization that advocates for the protection and preservation of Cambodia s natural environment and supports local communities in defending those rights.
The three, who were sentenced by the Phnom Penh Municipal court on charges of incitement to create social chaos, had been in pre-trial detention for eight months before the conviction.
6 May 2021, 10:00 UTC
Responding to reports that the Phnom Penh Municipal Court yesterday convicted and sentenced five environmental activists, Emerlynne Gil, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Research said:
“This outrageous conviction is a blatant attempt to silence these young human rights defenders in retaliation for their peaceful work to protect Cambodia’s natural resources. This clearly violates the activists’ right to freedom of expression and constitutes an attack on all human rights defenders in Cambodia. Mother Nature Cambodia has long stood out as one of the most effective, popular, and creative activist groups in Cambodia. Emerlynne Gil, Amnesty International s Deputy Regional Director for Research
Cambodia jails environmental activists for incitement
Human rights watchdog CIVICUS demands the immediate release of the Mother Nature Cambodia campaigners
Updated: May 06, 2021 06:59 AM GMT
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Environmental activist Phuon Keoreaksmey during a cycling campaign in 2020. (Photo: Mother Nature Cambodia)
Three environmental activists have been jailed for 18-20 months and fined for incitement amid demands for their release and warnings their convictions highlighted a “rapid deterioration” of human rights in Cambodia.
Global civil society alliance CIVICUS said the international community “must not remain silent at this injustice” following the convictions of Phuon Keoreaksmey, Long Kunthea and Thun Ratha from Mother Nature Cambodia on May 5.