Acts of Intimidation and harassment against Mr. Thun Ratha
URGENTAPPEAL – THE OBSERVATORY
KHM001 / 0617 / OBS 065
Intimidation/ Harassment
Cambodia
June 16,2017
TheObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of theWorld Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH, requests your urgentintervention in the following situation in Cambodia.
Briefdescription of the situation:
TheObservatory has been informed by the Cambodian Center for HumanRights (CCHR) about acts of intimidation andharassment by local authorities against Mr. Thun Ratha, a member of the environmental rights organisation‘Mother Nature’, following his participation in a peaceful protest opposingsand dredging in Sa-ang District, Kandal Province.
According tothe information received, on June 11, 2017, Mr. Thun Ratha participated in apeaceful protest organised by affected villagers to oppose sand dredging by Leng ChingCompany[1]in Sa-ang District, Kandal Province. Mr. Ratha had come to Sa-ang district toshare his anti-sand dredging campaign experience with villagers and toprevent violation.
Onthe same day in the evening, Raka Khpos Commune Police Chief came to the house where Mr. Ratha was staying andasked to see his identity card. At 10.30pm, Koh Kor Village Chief, accompaniedby around 10 police officers, returned to ask for Mr. Ratha’s identity card.Again, on the morning of June 12, 2017, around 20 police officers returned toask for Mr. Ratha’s identity card. On each occasion Mr. Ratha refused toprovide his identity card to the police, who told him that they wanted his ID“to ensure his security”.
TheObservatory strongly condemns the acts of intimidation against Mr. Ratha, whichonly aim at punishing his legitimate human rights activities.
TheObservatory recalls that several membersof the organisation ‘Mother Nature’ have faced legal action and have beenharassed and imprisoned for their campaigning against illicit sand dredging inKoh Kong Province[2]. TheObservatory calls on the Cambodian authorities to put an end to all acts ofharassment against Mr. Ratha and all human rights defenders in Cambodia.
Actionsrequested:
Please writeto the authorities of Cambodia asking them to:
i. Guaranteein all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Thun Rathaas well as of all human rights defenders in Cambodia;
ii. Put an end to all forms of harassment, including atthe judicial level, against Mr. Thun Ratha and all human rights defenders inthe country so that they are able to carry out their work without hindrance;
iii. Comply withall the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders,adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, in particular with its Articles 1 and 12.2;
iv.Guarantee the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordancewith the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international humanrights instruments signed or ratified by the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Addresses:
· Mr.Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Fax: +855 23 360666 / 85523 880624 (c/o Council of Ministers), Email:leewood_phu@nida.gov.kh / cppparty@gmail.com
· Mr.Sar Kheng, Minister of Interior and Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom ofCambodia. Fax: + 855 23 212708
· Mr.Ang Vong Vathna, Minister of Justice of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Fax: + 855 23364 119
· Mr.Prak Sokhon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Fax: + 85523 216 144 / 855 23 216 141, Email: mfaic@mfa.gov.kh
· Mr.Keo Remy, President of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee, Fax: +855 12 81 3781 / +855 23 21 11 62 or +855 23 88 10 45 (c/o Council of Ministers)
· Mr.Suon Visal, President of the Cambodian Bar Association, Fax: +855 23 864 076,Email: info@bakc.org.kh
· AmbassadorMr. Ney Samol, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the UnitedNations in Geneva, Switzerland, Fax: + 41 22 788 77 74, Email: camemb.gva@mfa.gov.kh
Please alsowrite to the diplomatic representations of Cambodia in your respectivecountries.
***
Geneva-Paris, June16, 2017
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting thecode of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory for the Protection of HumanRights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by the WorldOrganisation Against Torture (OMCT) and FIDH. The objective of this programmeis to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rightsdefenders. OMCT and FIDH are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, theEuropean Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism implemented by internationalcivil society.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org
Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22809 49 29
[1] Leng Ching Company islicensed by the Ministry of Industry Mine and Energy. Reportedly, villagers asked for Mr. Thun Ratha’s help after several of their homes fell into the Tonle Bassac riverbecause of erosion they blame on rampant river sand dredging.
[2] SeeObservatory Urgent Appeal KHM 004 /1115 / OBS 094.1, published on July 4, 2016.
Tags
Related resources
-
- Cambodia
- 04.07.16
- Urgent Interventions
Suspended sentences and release of land rights activists Sim Somnang, Tri Sovikea and San Mala