Rallies, organized throughout Phnom Penh by community members, garment factory workers, trade union members, as well as staff of associations and human rights organizations, who in unison opposed a controversial draft law, intended to restrict the freedoms of expression, assembly and association of civil society, were blocked by dozens of security forces officers in the morning of 30 June 2015.
Mr Yi Soksan, a Senior Investigation Officer of local human rights organization ADHOC, who was on duty to monitor the rally coming from Niroth pagoda, reported that dozens of security forces officers were deployed on National Road 1 to block the rally.
”The rally coming from the National Road 2 was also prevented by Phnom Penh Municipality security forces officers from moving any further”, witnessed by Mr Nay Vanda, another human rights monitor of ADHOC, who was stationed at this particular rally.
Mr Pen Bunnar, ADHOC’s land and natural resources activist, who was monitoring a rally coming from National Road 7, Makara flyover, said many security forces officers were deployed to prevent the rally at Phsa Depo.
At Chroy Chongva roundabout, a large group of land activists and community members were pushed by security forces officers and prevented from continuing their protest, just in front of the gate of the Embassy of France, near Calmette Hospital. The protesters tried to break away from the security forces, however, their attempts failed after a large group of anti-riot forces came to block the surroundings.
Nonetheless, protesters managed to reach the gate of the National Assembly around 10am, arriving, therefore, just at the end of the parliament’s plenary meeting. Protesters sang and danced, demonstrating their support against the controversial draft law, currently in front of parliament for discussion. The draft bill is widely criticized for aiming at the restriction of civil society’s freedoms of expression, assembly and association in Cambodia.
