Cambodian group cancels human rights day event amid government crackdown ‎

A leading Cambodian rights group said it had been forced to cancel its annual International Human Rights Day events in the country's prisons for the first time in 20 years because of prohibitive conditions imposed by the government.  Licadho, which stands for Cambodian League for the

Promotion and Defense of Human Rights‎, said it had called off entertainment, human rights speeches and the distribution of food packages planned in 18 of the country's 28 prisons to mark International Human Rights Day on Thursday. 

Non-governmental organizations have come under increasing scrutiny in Cambodia after the country passed a law last July which requires all NGOs to report their activities and finances to the government, with punishments for breaches ranging from fines and criminal prosecutions to breaking up the organization.  Licadho said there were no guarantees prisoners would get out-of-cell time or would receive the packages if they could not be delivered directly by activists.  "These restrictions typify the sad state of affairs in Cambodia at the moment," said Licadho's director, Naly Pilorge.  "A 20 year tradition of providing an opportunity for prisoners to celebrate IHRD, many of whom are still awaiting trial, is being blocked, and for what?" 

Licadho said in a damning report last January that prisoners in Cambodia lived in appalling conditions in overcrowded jails and were subjected to frequent human rights abuses and illegal forced labour for private contractors.   In March, the rights group cancelled similar activities to mark International Women's Day for the first time in more than 15 years because of government restrictions.  (Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation)