Civil Society Concerned About the Use of Political Influence

27th March 2008
By Khim Sarong
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

The Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL), NICFEC and the Actions Committee of the Associations for the Protection of Human Rights in Cambodia have today issued a statement saying that they are very concerned about the continued use of political influence over the justice system, judicial system and the armed forces to enforce the laws, especially in relations to the recent events regarding the detentions, the orders of arrests and the use of violence toward the political activists and the hindrances of political activities of many other political parties.
The statement stated that these cases have mostly occurred and recurred in the same provinces and cities such as in Phnom Penh, Pailin, Kampong Thom, Takeo, Kampong Chhnang. The statement said that such cases have impacted on an atmosphere conducive to the holding of a free and fair election.
The same statement further stated that the arrests of political activists without warrants and without any transparent investigations have created an atmosphere of fears in order to weaken the resolve of the activists belonging the non-ruling parties.