End Intimidation of Khmer Human Rights Defenders

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Author: stopintimidation

Started: February 15, 2009, 7:20:36 pm

Target: Friends of freedom in Cambodia.

Category: Civil & Human Rights

Supporters:

386

Goal:

100,000

Goal Progress:

Status

Active

We, the undersigned are deeply concerned about the false criminal
charges that have been bought against Chan Vichet, a representative of
the evicted Dey Krahorm community, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Chan Vichet together with two other representatives of the Dey Krahorm
community were charged with destruction of 7NG company property
(excavator) and physical assault (against company staff) in December
2007, despite there being no credible evidence. The verdict for the case
will be heard on Monday 16 February 2009.

Chan Vichet and seven other community members were also charged with
defamation and forgery in March 2005. One of the community members was
found guilty and sentenced to three year prison terms, while the charges
against all others were dropped. Despite there being no new evidence the
case was reopened in September 2008, three and half years after the
alleged incident - at the same time Chan Vichet was representing the
community in seeking just and fair compensation for their land from the
company 7NG and the Phnom Penh Municipality. Chan Vichet has now been
summoned by the investigating judge on Tuesday, 17 February 2009, the
day after the verdict for the earlier case. This is the third in a
string of spurious criminal charges against Chan Vichet. The Dey Krahorm
community was violently evicted on 24 January 2009.

We are concerned that false criminal charges are being increasingly used
to intimidate and silence community representatives fighting forced
eviction and land grabbing.

We, thus call upon the Cambodian Government to:

1. Ensure that the criminal justice system is not falsely used to
silence or punish housing rights defenders such as Chan Vichet.

2. Cease harassment of community representatives and human rights
defenders and eliminate all practices of its various organs, which are
aimed at impeding the exercise of their rights and their role in the
realization, protection and promotion of the right to adequate housing
and halting forced evictions in Cambodia.

3. Honor the pledge to fully decriminalise defamation.

Sincerely,

The undersigned,