We, the undersigned civil society groups, call on the Cambodian government to immediately and safely repatriate a large group of Cambodian nationals currently stuck in Malaysia. Permitting their return is consistent with article 40 of the Cambodian Constitution, which safeguards the right of Cambodian citizens to settle abroad and to return to Cambodia, and Cambodia’s [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 10 April 2020) – Cambodian authorities must release journalist Sovann Rithy without conditions and reinstate the licence of TVFB immediately, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) said. Sovann Rithy, the founder of TVFB, was detained and charged on 7 April 2020 for incitement for quoting Prime Minister’s Hun Sen from a [ Read more ]

Cambodia: State of Emergency draft law will put civic freedoms and human rights defenders at further risk 6 April 2020 CAMBODIA: CIVICUS, FORUM-ASIA, Frontline Defenders and Civil Rights Defenders are seriously concerned about draconian provisions in Cambodia’s draft State of Emergency Law which mandates unfettered power to the executive, undermining fundamental freedoms with no defined [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 17 January 2020) –The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) calls on the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to ensure full transparency in the trial of the Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha, and reiterates the call of Cambodian civil society for a trial that is open to the public and independent media, and [ Read more ]

Phnom Penh, 22 December 2019 – We, the undersigned media institutions and local and international civil society organizations call for charges against two former Radio Free Asia (RFA) journalists, Mr. Uon Chhin and Mr. Yeang Sothearin (known as Yeang Sochea Meta), to be dropped. We also call on the government to take immediate action to [ Read more ]

Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen Government Peace Building, No. 38 Confederation Russia Blvd (110) Phnom Penh Cambodia December 18, 2019 Re: Cambodia’s Law on Trade Unions and Cases Against Union Leaders Dear Prime Minister, We, the undersigned Cambodian and international civil society organizations, are deeply concerned about the proposed amendments to the Law on Trade [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 14 November 2019) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), together with its members Pusat KOMAS and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) from Malaysia, and Komisi untuk Orang Hilang dan Korban Tindak Kekerasan (KontraS) from Indonesia, strongly condemns the recent tactics used by the Cambodian Government to repress the fundamental freedoms of [ Read more ]

FORUM-ASIA denounces the detention of Mu Sochua, the leader of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), at the airport in Malaysia. We urge the Malaysian Government to immediately release the exiled leader. The detention comes after unwarranted disruption of Sochua’s press conference by the Cambodian Ambassador to Indonesia in Jakarta yesterday. These acts of intimidation [ Read more ]

Phnom Penh, 04 October 2019 – We, the undersigned civil society organizations strongly condemn the decision by the Municipal Court judge to continue the investigation into unsubstantiated espionage charges against Yeang Sothearin and Uon Chhin. The pair were arbitrarily arrested, detained and charged for the peaceful exercise of their freedom of expression and for their [ Read more ]

42nd Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 10: General Debate on technical assistance and capacity-building Oral Statement Delivered by Rosanna Ocampo  On behalf of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) Thursday, 26 September 2019 Mr President, FORUM-ASIA welcomes the report on the OHCHR in Cambodia. We welcome the Secretary-General’s [ Read more ]