A group of some 30 activists
Cases- Case status
- Unknown
- Location of case in SG report
- 2021-010-001
- Relevant SG report
- Year of the report
- 2021
- From Country
- Country Geolocation
Latitude: 12.565679
Longitude: 104.990963
- Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
- Cambodia
- From Region
- Type of record
- Unnamed individual/group/organization
- Gender
- Gender unclear
- Was the victim a foreign national?
- No
- Was the victim a minor?
- No
- Individual's/organization's activity
calling for the release of a prominent union leader and activist
- Type of rights defended
- Civil/political rights
- Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
- No
- Reported trigger of reprisal
submit a petition to OHCHR at its office in Phnom Penh. They were calling for the release of a prominent union leader and activist
- Engagement with UN body
- OHCHR: OHCHR Field office
- Dates of engagement
- 24 August 2020
- Type of attempted engagement
- Submission of information to UN
- Dates of mentioned reprisals
- 24 August 2020
- Location of mentioned reprisals
- Phnom Penh
- Reprisal information
a group of some 30 activists gathered to submit a petition to OHCHR at its office in Phnom Penh. They were calling for the release of a prominent union leader and activist who had been arrested on 31 July 2020 on incitement charges over his comments on Cambodia-Vietnam border issues. While the group managed to successfully submit its petition to OHCHR, individuals were reportedly monitored by police officers during the process. When the group attempted to leave the OHCHR premises to go to the Japanese Embassy in Phnom Penh to submit a similar petition to the Japanese Government, the group was reportedly blocked by law enforcement officers from advancing, prompting the protesters and activists to flee the area for fear of violence. The activists reported to OHCHR that they had been monitored and harassed following the submission of their petition to OHCHR.
- Types of reprisals suffered
- Surveillance
- Threats/Intimidations (incl. "fear of reprisal")
- Alleged/likely perpetrators
- State actors
- Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
- No
- Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
- No
- Further case development
When the group attempted to leave the OHCHR premises to go to the Japanese Embassy in Phnom Penh to submit a similar petition to the Japanese Government, the group was reportedly blocked by law enforcement officers from advancing, prompting the protesters and activists to flee the area for fear of violence
- Government response dates
- 18 August 2021
- Government response content
The Government responded to the note verbale sent in connection to the present report, noting that the arrest and detention of Ms. Eng Malai and a group of purported activists, who had assembled to file the petition to OHCHR in Cambodia, are in full adherence to the existing applicable procedures and rules with the aim of maintaining and guaranteeing social security and public order.
- Was the case raised by a State at the UN?
- No
- Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
- No
- Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
- No
- Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
- Yes
- How many times has the case been followed up in subsequent SG reports?
- 0