To: Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the UN Human Rights Council RE: Human Rights Council should adopt meaningful resolution to address spiralling rights crisis in Cambodia Excellencies, We, the undersigned civil society organisations, are writing to alert your government to the worsening human rights crisis in Cambodia, and to appeal to you [ Read more ]

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation condemn the pattern of intimidation and retaliation against media workers, civil society, and political opponents in the run-up to, during, and after elections in Cambodia. On 23 July 2023, Cambodia’s citizens were called to cast their ballot for the [ Read more ]

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) applauds the recommendation of Meta’s Oversight Board to suspend Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Facebook and Instagram accounts for six months for violating rules regarding violent threats and removal of the video. The Oversight Board operates independently but is funded by Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook and Instagram. The decision came on [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 26 May 2023) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) calls for quashing the convictions of NagaWorld union leader Chhim Sithar alongside eight members of the Labor Rights Supported Union of Khmer Employees of NagaWorld (LRSU). FORUM-ASIA strongly condemns the verdict given on 25 May 2023 by a Phnom Penh municipal [ Read more ]

(Bangkok, 17 May 2023) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation strongly condemn Cambodia’s National Election Committee (NEC)’s decision to bar the Candlelight Party (CP) – the country’s main opposition party–from contesting in the upcoming general election in July 2023. This move further erodes Cambodian [ Read more ]

  52nd regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 10: General debate on technical assistance and capacity building Joint oral statement delivered by Chhime Namdol Sherpa On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) 3 April 2023   Mr. President, The implementation of the technical cooperation and capacity building mandate [ Read more ]

Cambodia has been added to a watchlist of countries that have seen a rapid decline in civic freedoms. Repressive laws are routinely misused to restrict civic freedoms and criminalise human rights defenders, trade unionists, youth activists, journalists, opposition politicians and other critical voices. Prime Minister Hun Sen has also used the COVID-19 pandemic as a [ Read more ]

We, the undersigned media and civil society organizations, are deeply disturbed by Prime Minister Hun Sen’s order to revoke the license of Voice of Democracy (VOD), one of the last remaining independent media outlets in Cambodia. We also condemn the recent sexual harassment and intimidation of a female VOD journalist. The closure of VOD and the harassment [ Read more ]

CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), and Asia Democracy Network (ADN) are appalled that the Cambodian authorities have ordered for a music video by a rapper that recounts a deadly government crackdown on a workers’ protest nine years ago to be removed from a social media page. [ Read more ]

CIVICUS and Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) condemn the recent arbitrary arrest of labour activist, Chhim Sithar, and call for her immediate and unconditional release. The government of Cambodia must also stop the judicial harassment against her and other trade union activists in the country. Chhim Sithar is the recently re-elected President [ Read more ]