CCHR Freedom of Expression Alert_Cambodian authorities tell citizens to remove the Mam Sonando Justice Calendar from their homes

CCHR Freedom of Expression Alert – Phnom Penh, 1 March 2013

Cambodian authorities tell citizens to remove the Mam Sonando Justice Calendar from their homes

On 27 February 2013, the district President of the Democratic Association in Kampong Siem district, Mr. Sia Sophon informed the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (“CCHR”) that a member of the Democrat Association in Krala commune, Mr. Thim Chhoun, who was participating in the CCHR Justice Calendar Campaign by displaying the Mam Sonando Justice Calendar (the “Calendar”) outside his home, was threatened by the authorities and told that he must remove the Calendar. The authorities told Thim Chhoun that displaying the Calendar was against Cambodian law.

Thim Chhoun, a resident of Krala commune, Kampong Siem district, Kampong Cham Province was told by the Commune Chief on 26 February 2013 that he was not allowed to display the Calendar as it was like a petition or a demonstration to demand the release of Mam Sonando. The Commune Chief claimed that this type of action was against the law because Mam Sonando is a convicted person. When contacted by the CCHR’s staff Thim Chhoun also added that the authorities told his wife that her family should not act in such a way to provoke attention because if something happened to her as a result, no one would be held responsible.

Another similar case took place in Sa Ang district, Kandal province on 4 February 2013 when Democrat Association member Mr. Meng Seang Hai was told by the authorities that he must remove the Calendar from outside of his home because it was against the law. When CCHR heard of this case and contacted the authorities in Sa Ang to ask which article of which law had been violated, the authorities replied that they did not have the time to answer. Meng Seang Hai removed the Calendar initially but for the past week he has once again displayed the Calendar and has yet to be approached by the authorities to take it down.

It should be noted that in displaying this Calendar Thim Chhoun and Meng Seang Hai were exercising their right to freedom of expression, as protected under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia and under international covenants to which Cambodia is a party.

The Calendar was launched by CCHR on 15 January 2013 and records the number of days that Mam Sonando has been imprisoned since his arrest on 15 July 2012. Copies of the Calendar have been distributed by CCHR to other non-governmental organizations and members of the public who wish to participate in the campaign by displaying the Calendar outside their office, business or home. Since the launch of the campaign on 15 January 2013, CCHR has distributed three Calendars to the Independent Democracy of Informal Economy Association and 57 banners to members of the Democrat Association. CCHR has also received further the requests for the Calendar that are currently being processed.

For more information, please contact CCHR Freedom of Expression Project Coordinator Sorn Ramana via telephone at  +855 (0) 17 65 55 91  or email at ramanasorn@cchrcambodia.org.

Please find the Freedom of Expression Alert in both Khmer and English as attached.

Kind Regards,
CCHR