New wave of arrests targeting human rights defenders threatens to destroy vibrant human rights community

On May 9 in the morning, Mr. Thav Kimsan,Deputy Director of the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of HumanRights (LICADHO), and Mr. Ee Sarom, Executive Director of the housingrights organisation Sahmakum TeangTnaut (STT), were stopped around 2 km from Prey Sar prison and detained inDangkao district police station. Shortly afterwards, Ms. Sor Sorn, aland rights activist from the Borei Keila community, was also arrested andbrought to Dangkao district police station. At about the same time, Ms. BovSophea, Ms. Kong Chantha and Ms. Song Sreyleap, three landrights activists from the Boeung Kak community, were arrested and detained inDaun Penh police station.

The six were on their way to participate in thefirst “Black Monday”, a demonstration that was planned to take place outsidePrey Sar’s CC1 and CC2 prisons and in which participants dressed in black tocall for the release of four staff of the Cambodian Human Rightsand Development Association (ADHOC) - Messrs. Ny Sokha, Nay Vanda,Yi Soksan, and Ms. Lim Mony - as well as former ADHOCstaffer Mr. Ny Chakrya, recently appointed Deputy Secretary General ofthe National Election Committee (NEC), who were detained on May 2 following their arrest by the Government’sAnti-Corruption Unit (ACU) onApril 28.

“Policeintimidation and judicial harassment have escalated in the past weeks. This isthe worst crackdown against civil society in years, and is a clear attempt todestroy Cambodia's vibrant human rights community”, said FIDHPresident Karim Lahidji.

At about 11.30 am, two international consultantsfrom LICADHO, were taken to the Immigration Department forquestioning while outside the Dangkao district police station. The two wereamong about 40 who gathered outside the station to support the detained humanrights defenders. While in custody, the two were questioned in relation to theattempted demonstration.

The eight defenders were all released between6.30 and 7.30 pm, without any charge.

On May 8, the Interior Ministry had issued astatement opposing the “Black Monday”, warning that authorities would enforcethe law in order to maintain peace, political stability and social order.

“The waves of recent arrests add to legal restrictions imposed againstcivil society through the repressive Law on Associations and Non-GovernmentalOrganizations (LANGO), which contains numerous provisions violatinginternational human rights standards binding Cambodia, as well as the country’sown Constitution”, said OMCTSecretary General Gerald Staberock.

The Observatory calls upon the authorities of Cambodia to immediately andunconditionally release the five human rights defenders stillincarcerated after being arbitrarily detained last week and, more generally, to put an end to the increasingrepression of dissenting voices in the country.

The Observatoryfor the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (the Observatory) wascreated in 1997 by FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT).The objective of this programme is to intervene to prevent orremedy situations of repression against human rights defenders.

For more information, please contact:

· FIDH: Arthur Manet/AudreyCouprie: + 33 1 43 55 25 18

· OMCT:Delphine Reculeau: +41 22 809 49 39