The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR; km,
មជ្ឈមណ្ឌលសិទ្ធិមនុស្សកម្ពុជា) is a
non-partisan
Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party.
While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers sp ...
, independent,
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...
that works to promote and protect
democracy
Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation (" direct democracy"), or to choose gov ...
and respect for
human rights
Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...
throughout
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
. It focuses primarily on
civil and political rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life o ...
and on a variety of interlinked
human rights
Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...
issues. The white bird flying out of a circle of sky blue on the logo of the organization symbolizes
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
’s quest for freedom.
CCHR was registered with the Ministry of Interior in October 2002 and officially launched on 12 November 2002. Since its foundation, CCHR’s emphasis has been on empowering communities, being the first NGO to facilitate “public forums” throughout Cambodia. These public forums were broadcast on Voice of Democracy (“VOD”), a radio program established by CCHR in 2003. In June 2007 the Cambodian Center for Independent Media (“CCIM”) was founded to operate VOD as an independent radio station.
CCHR's core focus areas include protecting fundamental freedoms; judicial and legislative reform; equality and discrimination; business and human rights; and political participation, rights and reform.
Vision
CCHR's vision is of a non-violent Cambodia in which all people can enjoy the fundamental human rights to which they are entitled, all are subject to the rule of law without impunity, all are treated equally without discrimination, all are empowered to participate fully in the democratic process, and all can share in the benefits of Cambodia's ongoing economic development.
Mission
To promote and protect respect for democracy and human rights – primarily civil and political rights, for the benefit of all those living in Cambodia.
Thematic Areas
Protecting Fundamental Freedoms
Despite clear protection for fundamental freedoms, including the rights to peaceful assembly, association and expression, in the UDHR, the ICCPR (as incorporated into Cambodian law) and the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia, these freedoms have been substantially restricted in Cambodia over the past years.
The judicial system has also frequently been used to harass individuals critical of the RGC. Human Rights Defenders, journalists, union leaders, land rights activists and the political opposition are often subject to arrest, charges and imprisonment, including for incitement or criminal damage.
CCHR's work in this area strives to address restrictions on and violations of fundamental freedoms encountered by Human Rights Defenders and peaceful protestors. It does so through awareness raising of instances of rights violations in order to engage decision-makers in judicial reform, advocating against repressive laws such as the Law on Associations and NGOs (“LANGO”) and the Trade Union Law, and by increasing public demand for the realization of fundamental freedoms in Cambodia nationally and internationally.
The Judiciary
CCHR is widely respected for its expertise in legal analysis, both of judicial hearings – with the continual breaches of fair trial rights and due process – and of new and pending repressive legislation which infringe upon human rights.
In general, the Cambodian courts are seen to be non-independent, incompetent and biased. Politically-motivated cases have been brought against opposition politicians, land-rights activists and those who speak out in defense of human rights. Conversely, those with government connections or positions of authority have enjoyed impunity, even when they have been linked to serious criminal offenses.
The Law on the Organization and Functioning of the Supreme Council of the Magistracy, and the Law on the Statute of Judges and Prosecutors (the “Judicial Laws”) grant excessive powers to the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Council of the Magistracy. There are grave concerns about the level of influence that the Ministry of Justice now has over judges and prosecutors, violating the principle of the separation of powers and thereby undermining judicial independence.
Business and Human Rights (“BHR”)
Many of the human rights violations occurring in Cambodia result from the activities and operations of private sector actors. Since Cambodia has traditionally had a predominantly rural population and a small-scale agricultural economy, many poor and vulnerable communities are now being disenfranchised and marginalized by such rapid development.
CCHR's Business and Human Rights projects have historically worked towards the goal of achieving an increase in the demand of the public – in Cambodia and abroad – for the respect of human rights by garment factories operating in Cambodia and the incorporation of the GPs into the policies and day-to-day operations of garment factories. This is expanding to include the overall impact of business and investment on the human rights landscape in Cambodia at a time when domestic and international investment and development are booming in a country where the rule of law is severely lacking.
Land and Natural Resources Rights
Land rights violations remain one of the most prominent and prevalent form of human rights violations in Cambodia. Despite protection of land rights under domestic and international law, large swathes of the country have been leased for commercial exploitation through notorious and opaque economic land concessions. Insecurity of land tenure (due to a widespread lack of formal land titles), almost complete impunity for abusers of land rights, and weak law enforcement have all further contributed to forced land evictions, illegal land grabs and land disputes. The weak, marginalized and vulnerable very seldom come out on top. Often, individuals challenging land claims by powerful business interests are met with harassment, judicial and physical attacks, with perpetrators of land rights and other human rights abuses rarely held to account. CCHR supports land rights activists who are suffering from human rights violations, including through its HRD protection mechanism and fund.
Equality and Discrimination
While homosexuality is not criminalized in Cambodia, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (“LGBTIQ”) people have continued to report suffering from discrimination and abuse with respect to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (“SOGIE”), and there is as yet no anti-hate crime legislation prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of SOGIE.
CCHR is very well known for its work on SOGIE. For many years now it has run a highly effective SOGIE Project that promotes and protects the human rights of LGBTIQ people in Cambodia who currently face significant discrimination. It does so by supporting LGBTIQ activists and victims and empowering them to advocate for their own human rights.
Women in Cambodia continue to face considerable rights violations. Little effort has been made to end the culture of domestic abuse in Cambodia, and domestic violence and rape occur at high rates. While there is strong legislation in place to combat these issues, such as the Law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence and the Protection of Victims 2005,44 cases of domestic violence and rape very rarely go to trial.
CCHR is also developing programs to work on ethnic and minority rights, focusing particularly on the disturbing trend towards anti-Vietnamese rhetoric and racism that has cast a shadow over Cambodia since the start of the political campaign for the 2013 National Assembly elections – an area in which CCHR established a principled and authoritative voice in the aftermath of the 2013 elections – as well as on the rights of the beleaguered Khmer Krom minority in southern Vietnam.
Human Rights Defenders (“HRDs”)
The UN Declaration on HRDs (the “HRD Declaration”) reaffirms the right to promote and strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and the right to form, join and participate in NGOs, associations or groups. In addition, according to Article 12(2) of the HRD Declaration, the relevant authorities must protect HRDs from arrest, violence, threats, retaliation and any discrimination arising from their HRD activities, and the HRD Declaration emphasizes that HRDs ought to be protected under national law. However, the RGC has not developed any policies or independent mechanisms to protect HRDs, who continue to face threats, harassment and physical violence.
Human Rights Education
There is still a worrying lack of understanding of human rights among Cambodians, including those in positions of power in the public, private and NGO sectors. Most importantly, there is a fundamental lack of awareness – whether willful or not – of international human rights law and its incorporation into Cambodian domestic law by the Cambodian judiciary. There is also an urgent need for human rights discourse to be depersonalized, with human rights viewed as a conversation topic that is respectable and inspiring rather than dirty and subversive.
Information and Communications Technology (“ICT”) and Digital Rights
CCHR's work in this area is cross-cutting with its protecting fundamental freedoms work. Many of the HRDs now being threatened and judicially harassed are online activists, targeted in response to politically sensitive posts on Facebook and Twitter. CCHR advocates against restrictive legislation and trains HRDs in the use of ICT tools and protocols.
History
Kem Sokha
CCHR was founded in 2002 by Kem Sokha, a member of the National Assembly from 1993–98, a member of the Senate from 1999 to 2002, leader of the Human Rights Party (the “HRP”) from 2007, Vice-President of the new opposition, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (the “CNRP”), from 2012 until the present day, and former first Vice-President of the National Assembly from 2014-15. CCHR was officially registered with the Ministry of Interior in October 2002 and launched on 12 November 2002 to promote and protect democracy and human rights in Cambodia. It has since been governed by an impressive Board of Directors who share a passion for human rights and Cambodia.
They became the key project of CCHR's Community Empowerment Program (the “CEP”). In December 2006, Kem Sokha and other civil rights leaders were arrested and imprisoned for allegedly defaming the Royal Government of Cambodia (the “RGC”). They were released after a campaign led by CCHR's next President, Ou Virak.
Ou Virak
From April 2007 to December 2013 Ou Virak was CCHR President. He was the founder of the Alliance for Freedom of Expression in Cambodia, and in 2007 won the Reebok Human Rights Award for his earlier campaign to secure both the release of the previous President of CCHR, Kem Sokha, and others from prison and the decriminalization of defamation in Cambodia. In January 2014 until December 2014, he served as Chair of the Board of Directors, during a year-long transition period when Chak Sopheap, one of Cambodia's pre-eminent female bloggers and a seasoned human rights and democracy activist, was appointed Executive Director and took over the day-to-day leadership of CCHR. Ou Virak then resigned from the Board of Directors in December 2014.
Chak Sopheap
Chak Sopheap has been the Executive Director of CCHR since March 2014. As one of the country's most prominent human rights advocates, her work has been recognized by United States President Barack Obama, as well as by Cambodian civil society and the Cambodian people.
Sopheap holds two bachelor's degrees in International Relations and Economics and a master's degree in International Peace Studies, which she completed at the International University of Japan. Sopheap also ran the Cambodian Youth Network for Change, which mobilized young activists around the country for greater civic engagement, until 2009 and is currently a contributing author to Global Voices Online and Future Challenges. Sopheap joined CCHR in late 2005 as an Advocacy Assistant, and later became an Advocacy Officer. In 2008, she left CCHR to continue her graduate studies in Japan and she rejoined CCHR in the middle of 2010 as the Executive Assistant, eventually becoming the Program Director in October 2011, leading to her current position.
Governance
CCHR is governed according to its constitution and by-laws. It has a Board of Directors and a panel of Counselors – successful and influential individuals who have a passion for human rights and support CCHR's work. CCHR is managed day-to-day by the Management Committee, composed of the Executive Director, Chak Sopheap, the Finance Director, Khan Kalina, and the Senior Researcher, Chor Chanthyda.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors
includes:
* Yun Mane, a graduate of the Royal University of Law and Economics, is the chair of the board of the Cambodia Indigenous Youth Association and a board member of the Organization to Promote Kui Culture. Mane spent three and a half years working with the United Nations Development Program Regional Indigenous People Program and two years as a Program Officer with the International Labour Organization Support to Indigenous Peoples Project.
* Prok Vanny is a member of the Working Group for Peace and she also sits on the board of directors for a number of NGOs, including the Cambodian Center for Human Rights. Vanny was formerly a consultant for the Project to Promote Women's Political Representation in Cambodia, at the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR). Prior to working at CCHR, Vanny was a trainer on a variety of subjects including community development; results-based management; gender concepts; gender sensitivity; proposal writing; strategic planning and project management. As the Executive Director for the local NGO, Khemara and also as a National Coordinator on the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
* Heng Sreang is an independent researcher, currently working as a lecturer and undergraduate student advisor at Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia since 2004. In addition to teaching and researching, Heng Sreang is also the President of PEN Cambodia and a volunteer for PEN International, an international literary association based in London. From 2006 to 2008, Heng Sreang worked as a content reviewer and editor for the Center for Khmer Studies in Phnom Penh. He is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Entrepreneurship and Economic Development at the Free University of Amsterdam in The Netherlands.
* Sann Kalyan is a researcher and consultant specialising in human rights issues including land eviction, freedom of expression and freedom of information. Previously, she was an experienced researcher and Editor to Documentation Centre of Cambodia (“DCCam”)'s monthly magazine. After leaving DCCam, she worked as research assistant/researcher for a number of international organisations including Human Rights Watch and Internews Europe. She has a master's degree in International Museum Studies from Göteborg University, Sweden.
Counsellors
The CCHR also has a group of Counsellors – successful and influential individuals who have a passion for
human rights
Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...
and support the CCHR's work - including:
*Sopheal Ear, an assistant professor at the US Naval Postgraduate School's Department of National Security Affairs. He has experience working for the
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
, the
Asian Development Bank
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966, which is headquartered in the Ortigas Center located in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. The bank also maintains 31 field office ...
and the
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)french: Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, PNUD is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human dev ...
on post-conflict countries and specializes in Southeast Asia. Sophal received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant u ...
in 2006.
*
Jonathan Aitken
Jonathan William Patrick Aitken (born 30 August 1942) is a British author, Church of England priest, former prisoner and former Conservative Party politician. Beginning his career in journalism, he was elected to Parliament in 1974 (serving unt ...
, an author and broadcaster, Director of
Prison Fellowship International
Prison Fellowship International (PFI) is a Christian international non-governmental organization of national prison fellowship organizations from 112 countries. The organization is based in Washington D.C., United States, and its current presiden ...
, Executive Director of the
Trinity Forum
The Trinity Forum (TTF) is an American faith-based non-profit Christian organization founded in 1991 by author and social critic Os Guinness and American businessman and philanthropist Alonzo L. McDonald.
The current president of the Trinity ...
in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, Honorary President of
Christian Solidarity Worldwide
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a human rights organisation which specialises in religious freedom and works on behalf of those persecuted for their Christian beliefs, persecuted for other religious belief or persecuted for lack of beli ...
, Chairman of the
Centre for Social Justice
The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) is an independent centre-right think tank based in the United Kingdom, co-founded in 2004 by Iain Duncan Smith, Tim Montgomerie, Mark Florman and Philippa Stroud.
Political positions
The organisation's stated ...
’s policy study group on
Prison reform
Prison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, improve the effectiveness of a penal system, or implement alternatives to incarceration. It also focuses on ensuring the reinstatement of those whose lives are impacted by crimes. ...
, and former British
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
and
Cabinet Minister
A minister is a politician who heads a ministry, making and implementing decisions on policies in conjunction with the other ministers. In some jurisdictions the head of government is also a minister and is designated the ‘prime minister’, ...
;
*
Barbara Crossette
Barbara Crossette (born July 12, 1939) is an American journalist. Now United Nations correspondent for ''The Nation'', she is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a trustee of the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs and ...
, a journalist and author,
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
bureau chief at the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
from 1994 to 2001 and former chief correspondent in
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
and
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
, and winner of the
George Polk Award
The George Polk Awards in Journalism are a series of American journalism awards presented annually by Long Island University in New York in the United States. A writer for Idea Lab, a group blog hosted on the website of PBS, described the award ...
(1991), Th
Silurians25-Year Achievement Award (1998), th
Business Council of the United NationsKorn Ferry Award (1998), and the
United Nations Correspondents Association The United Nations Correspondents Association (U.N. Correspondents Association), or UNCA, was founded in New York City in 1948. It has over 250 members today. It presents the annual UNCA Excellence in Journalism Awards. The purpose of the awards ...
lifetime achievement award (2003); and
Wayne Jordash a British international criminal defence lawyer who has represented clients in the United Kingdom, the
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR; french: Tribunal pénal international pour le Rwanda; rw, Urukiko Mpanabyaha Mpuzamahanga Rwashyiriweho u Rwanda) was an international court established in November 1994 by the United Nation ...
, the
International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was a body of the United Nations that was established to prosecute the war crimes that had been committed during the Yugoslav Wars and to try their perpetrators. The tribunal ...
and the
Special Court for Sierra Leone
The Special Court for Sierra Leone, or the "Special Court" (SCSL), also called the Sierra Leone Tribunal, was a judicial body set up by the government of Sierra Leone and the United Nations to "prosecute persons who bear the greatest responsibil ...
.
Management Committee
CCHR is managed day to day by the Management Committee, composed of the Executive Director, Chak Sopheap, the Finance Director, Khan Kalina, and the Program Director, Chor Chanthyda.
Affiliations and Cooperation
CCHR is informally affiliated to and cooperates with a number of national, regional and international organizations. These relationships strengthen its work to promote and protect
human rights
Human rights are Morality, moral principles or Social norm, normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for ce ...
in
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
. For example, CCHR is a member of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (“IFEX”), the global network for freedom of expression, the World Organization Against Torture (“OMCT”), SOS-Torture Network, and of the Southeast Asia Press Alliance (“SEAPA”).
Donors and Supporters
The CCHR's donors include the
United States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 bi ...
(“USAID”); the
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
(“EU”); the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law (“ICNL”); the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (“RFSU”); the Fair, Green and Global Alliance at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (“GIZ”); Canadian Journalists for Free Expression/International Freedom of Expression;
Open Society Foundations
Open Society Foundations (OSF), formerly the Open Society Institute, is a Grant (money), grantmaking network founded and chaired by business magnate George Soros. Open Society Foundations financially supports civil society groups around the wo ...
;
Diakonia A diaconia was originally an establishment built near a church building, for the care of the poor and distribution of the church's charity in medieval Rome or Naples (the successor to the Roman grain supply system, often standing on the very sites o ...
;
Freedom House
Freedom House is a non-profit, majority U.S. government funded organization in Washington, D.C., that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom, and human rights. Freedom House was founded in October 1941, and Wendell Wil ...
, and
Action Aid
ActionAid is an international non-governmental organization whose stated primary aim is to work against poverty and injustice worldwide.
ActionAid is a federation of 45 country offices that works with communities, often via local partner organis ...
.
See also
*
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
*
Human rights in Cambodia
The human rights situation in Cambodia is facing growing criticisms both within the country and from an increasingly alarmed international community. After a series of flagrant violations against basic human rights a feeling of incertitude regardi ...
*
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge (; ; km, ខ្មែរក្រហម, ; ) is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) and by extension to the regime through which the CPK ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. ...
*
Politics of Cambodia
The politics of Cambodia are defined within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, in which the king serves as the head of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. The collapse of communism set in motion events that led to th ...
*
Ou Virak
Ou Virak ( km, អ៊ូ វីរៈ ; born 7 January 1976) is a Cambodian public intellectual and human rights activist, currently serving as the President of Future Forum, a think tank dedicated to public policy issues. He is also the founder ...
*
Kem Sokha
Kem Sokha ( km, កឹម សុខា; born 27 June 1953) is a Cambodia, Cambodian politician and activist who most recently served as the President of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). He served as the Minority Leader (Cambodia), Minori ...
*
Ros Sopheap
Ros Sopheap ( Khmer: រស់ សុភាព; born 1962) is a Cambodian women's rights activist. She is the founder and former executive director of Gender and Development Cambodia (GADC), a non-governmental organisation involved in preventing ...
Notes
{{Reflist
External links
Cambodia Human Rights Portal (Sithi)Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR)Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) Facebook GroupCambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) TwitterCambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) YouTube
Cambodian democracy movements
Human rights organisations based in Cambodia