AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2016/17

28 April and charged with bribing a witness.
Ny Chakrya, a former ADHOC staff member
and deputy secretary-general of the National
Election Committee (NEC), was also charged
as an accomplice. The case was related to
advice and material support provided by
ADHOC to a woman alleged to have had an
extra-marital relationship with Kem Sokha. In
October, the investigating judge extended
their pre-trial detention to one year. In
December, Minister of Interior Sar Kheng
announced that the five would be released
but no action was taken. The alleged affair
led to three separate criminal cases involving
eight political and civil society actors, as well
as one against the woman. The CPP filed a
criminal defamation complaint against
political commentator Ou Virak for
commenting that the cases were politically
motivated. Seang Chet, an opposition
commune councillor, was convicted on
charges of bribery in one of these cases in
December. He received a five-year sentence
but was pardoned and released two days
later.
In a separate case, Ny Chakrya was
sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for
defamation, malicious denunciation and
publication of commentaries intended to
unlawfully coerce judicial authorities after
criticizing a court in Siem Reap for its
handling of a land dispute case in May 2015.
In April, NEC member and former union
leader Rong Chhun was informed that he
would be tried on criminal charges in relation
to a 2014 demonstration at which a number
of protesting factory workers were shot dead
by security forces. Ny Chakrya and Rong
Chhun both worked for the NEC and their
cases were viewed as targeted attempts to
exclude them from their appointed positions.
Try Sovikea, Sun Mala and Sim Samnang,
environmental activists from the NGO Mother
Nature who had been arrested in August
2015, were sentenced in June to 18 months’
imprisonment for threatening to destroy
property. They were released after the
balance of their sentence after time served
was suspended.
FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY
Peaceful protests continued to be hampered
by the authorities. In May, civil society
launched a peaceful “Black Monday”
campaign to call for the release of four
ADHOC staff and one former NEC staff
member (see above). Protesters wearing
black took part in weekly gatherings and
vigils, and posted images on social media.
The authorities attempted to ban the protests
and threatened, arrested and detained
participants who were generally released only
after signing undertakings not to protest
again. Housing rights activists from the
capital, Phnom Penh, were among those
routinely targeted.
Tep Vanny and Bov Sophea from Boeung
Kak community were arrested on 15 August
at a “Black Monday” vigil. They were tried on
22 August and sentenced to six days’
imprisonment each for insulting a public
official. Bov Sophea was released after time
served, and Tep Vanny was held in prison for
investigation on a revived charge relating to a
2013 protest. In another revived case, on 19
September, Tep Vanny, Bo Chhorvy, Heng
Mom and Kong Chantha, also from the
Boeung Kak community, were sentenced to
six months’ imprisonment for insulting and
obstructing public officials in relation to a
2011 protest. Tep Vanny remained
imprisoned and the three other women
remained free pending an appeal against
conviction at the end of the year.
UNLAWFUL KILLINGS
Political commentator Kem Ley was shot
dead on the morning of 10 July at a service
station where he regularly went to meet
people. He was frequently interviewed on
radio and news media for his views on
political events in Cambodia, including
criticism of the government. Oeuth Ang, a
former soldier, was arrested shortly
afterwards, but the authorities failed to
conduct an independent and effective
investigation or to inform the public
adequately of any investigations into the
killing. Prime Minister Hun Sen filed a
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