01 November 2015. To mark the United Nations’ second International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, we, the undersigned civil society organizations (“CSOs”), call upon the Royal Government of Cambodia to bring an end to Cambodia’s rampant culture of impunity, and to ensure that the perpetrators of human rights violations are brought to justice.
This joint call comes one week after violent attacks against opposition lawmakers Nhay Chamroeun and Kong Saphea last Monday during a protest outside the National Assembly, calling for Vice President of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (“CNRP”) Kem Sokha to be removed from his position as First Vice President of the National Assembly. The two politicians were severely injured by protesters – largely comprising Cambodian People’s Party supporters and including plainclothes security personnel – during a protest that was predicted by Prime Minister Hun Sen the previous day. Despite the violent nature of the protest, no action was taken by the authorities to maintain order or to protect the victims, and so far, the perpetrators have yet to be identified by the authorities.
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