Civil Society Groups Call for the Release of Tep Vanny

(English and Khmer versions attached)

Phnom Penh, 14 August 2018 - Landactivist and human rights defender Tep Vanny has been unjustly detained fortwo years, for defending the rights of the Boeung Kak Lake community and herfellow Cambodians. We, the undersigned civil society organisations andcommunities, condemn her ongoing imprisonment and call on the authorities toimmediately and unconditionally release Tep Vanny, drop all dormant criminalcharges and overturn any convictions against her, so that she may return to herfamily and community.

Tep Vannyhas fought tirelessly to protect the rights of members of her communityfollowing their forced eviction from theirhomes on Boeung Kak Lake, Phnom Penh, but also those of fellow human rightsdefenders campaigning for separate causes. As long as she is behind bars, TepVanny is prevented from carrying out her peaceful and valuable work.

“We have to share all the benefits of ourexperience. If we stand up together, we can get justice,” said Tep Vanny. “Ifthe communities join together, we have big power.”

It was during one such peaceful protestthat Tep Vanny was arrested on 15 August 2016, challenging the arbitrary detention of fourhuman rights defenders and one election official.On 22 August 2016, she was convicted of ‘insulting a publicofficial’, and sentenced to six days in prison. However, instead of releasingher based on time served, the authorities reactivated dormant charges datingback to a 2013 peaceful protest, later sentencing her to two and half years ofimprisonment and a fine of 14 million riels (around $3,500). To date, TepVanny’s requests for pardon or early release have all been rejected. Her manytrials and appeals have fallen far short of fair trial standards, with theevidence presented failing to meet the burden of proof required to sustain aconviction.

“As avictim of eviction I can guarantee that Tep Vanny did not use any violence ordo anything wrong. I would stake my life on that,” said fellow Boeung Kak Lakeactivist Bov Chhorvy. “The authorities should release her so she can be withher family. Her children and mother need her.”

Herexcessively lengthy detention, apart from taking a personal toll, furtherdeprives her two children of anormal childhood, since they only see their mother once a month. Tep Vanny’smother’s deteriorating health is aggravated by the ongoing unjust treatment ofher daughter. The inability to care for her family places an acutepsychological burden on Tep Vanny, exacerbated by her detention in one ofCambodia’s worst prisons, where sheshares a cell with more than 150 other detainees in squalid conditions. Civil society representatives as well as members of theBoeung Kak Lake community have been frequently turned away whenattempting to visit her in prison, further compounding the isolation fromfriends and family and in violation of the UNStandard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.

We call onthe Cambodian authorities to release Tep Vanny immediately and unconditionally,drop all charges and end all criminal investigations against her. This willensure that she is able to continue her work as a human rights defender, andmore importantly reunite with her family and community. Finally, we urge theauthorities to cease the intimidation and harassment of Tep Vanny and all otheractivists through arrests, prosecution and imprisonment.

This statement isendorsed by:

1. 24 FamiliesCommunity (Preah Sihanouk)

2. 92 Community (PhnomPenh)

3. 105 Community (PhnomPenh)

4. 297 Land Community(Koh Kong)

5. Activities forEnvironment Community (AEC)

6. Alliance forConflict Transformation (ACT)

7. AmnestyInternational (AI)

8. Angdoung Community(Preah Sihanouk)

9. Angdoung Kanthuot(Battambang)

10. Angdoung Trabek Land Community(Svay Rieng)

11. Anlong Run Community(Battambang)

12. Ansoung Sork Community(Battambang)

13. Areng Indigenous Community (KohKong)

14. ASEAN Parliamentarians forHuman Rights (APHR)

15. Asian Democracy Network (ADN)

16. Asian Forum for Human Rights& Development (Forum Asia)

17. Banteay Srey Community (PhnomPenh)

18. Bat Khteah Community (PreahSihanouk)

19. Boeng Chhuk Community (PhnomPenh)

20. Boeung Pram Community(Battambang)

21. Borei Keila Community (PhnomPenh)

22. Borei Mittepheap Community(Banteay Meanchey)

23. Borei Sontepheap Community(Phnom Penh)

24. Bos Sa Am Community(Battambang)

25. Bou Japan Land Community (KohKong)

26. Buddhism for Peace Organization(BPO)

27. CamASEAN Youth’s Future(CamASEAN)

28. Cambodia Indigenous PeoplesOrganization (CIPO)

29. Cambodia’s Independent CivilServants Association (CICA)

30. Cambodian Center for HumanRights (CCHR)

31. Cambodian Domestic WorkersNetwork (CDWN)

32. Cambodian Human Rights andDevelopment Association (ADHOC)

33. Cambodian Independent Teachers’Association (CITA)

34. Cambodian Informal EconomyWorkers Association (CIWA)

35. Cambodian Labor Confederation(CLC)

36. Cambodian League for thePromotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO)

37. Cambodian Youth Network (CYN)

38. Capacity Community DevelopmentOrganization (CCD)

39. Chek Meas Land Community (SvayRieng)

40. Cheko Community (Phnom Penh)

41. Center for Alliance of Laborand Human Rights (CENTRAL)

42. Cheung Wat Village LandCommunity (Banteay Meanchey)

43. Chikor Kraom Land Community(Koh Kong)

44. Chikor Leu Land Community (KohKong)

45. Chirou Ti Pi Community (TbongKhmum)

46. Chhub Community (Tbong Khmum)

47. Chorm Kravean Community(Kampong Cham)

48. C I 5 Community (PreahSihanouk)

49. CIVICUS: World Alliance forCitizen Participation

50. Civil Rights Defenders (CRD)

51. Coalition of Cambodian ApparelWorkers Democratic Union (C.CAWDU)

52. Coalition of Cambodian FarmersCommunity Association (CCFC)

53. Coalition of Integrity andSocial Accountability (CISA)

54. Committee for Free and FairElections in Cambodia (COMFREL)

55. Community Peace-BuildingNetwork (CPN)

56. Confederation of CambodianWorker (CCW)

57. Dok Por Community (KampongSpeu)

58. Dombe Community (Tbong Khmum)

59. Equitable Cambodia (EC)

60. Fishery Community (BanteayMeanchey)

61. Front Line Defenders (FLD)

62. Forest and BiodiversityPreservation Community (Svay Rieng)

63. Free Trade Union of Workers ofKingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC)

64. Gender and Development Cambodia(GADC)

65. Horng Samnom Community (KampongSpeu)

66. Human Rights Watch (HRW)

67. Independent Democracy ofInformal Economy Association (IDEA)

68. Independent Monk Network forSocial Justice (IMNSJ)

69. Indigenous Youth at BromeCommunity (Preah Vihear)

70. International Federation forHuman Rights (FIDH), within the Framework of the Observatory for the Protectionof Human Rights Defenders

71. International Freedom ofExpression Exchange (IFEX)

72. Khva Community (Phnom Penh)

73. Koh Sralao Fishery Community(Koh Kong)

74. Lor Peang Land Community(Kampong Chhnang)

75. Mlup Prom Vihea Thor Center(Koh Kong)

76. Moeunchey Land Community (SvayRieng)

77. Minority Rights Organization(MIRO)

78. Mother Nature Cambodia (MNC)

79. Network for Prey LongProtection in Mean Rith Commune (Kampong Thom)

80. Orm Laing Community (KampongChhnang)

81. Ou Ampil Land Community(Banteay Meanchey)

82. Ou Chheu Teal Community (PreahSihanouk)

83. Ou Khsach Community (PreahSihanouk)

84. Ou Tracheak Chet Community(Preah Sihanouk)

85. Ou Tres Community (PreahSihanouk)

86. Ou Vor Preng Community(Battambang)

87. Phnom Bat Community (PhnomPenh)

88. Phnom Kram Community (SiemReap)

89. Phnom Sleuk Community(Battambang)

90. Phnom Torteong Community(Kampot)

91. Phsar Kandal Village LandCommunity (Banteay Meanchey)

92. Phum 22 Community (Phnom Penh)

93. Phum Bo Loy Community(Ratanakiri)

94. Phum Dei Chhnang Community(Kampong Speu)

95. Phum Samut Leu Community(Ratanakiri)

96. Phum Ou Svay Land Community(Banteay Meanchey)