CCHR Press Release - More election related concerns

CCHR PRESS RELEASE - Phnom Penh, 19 August 2013

More election related concerns: Local authorities coerce villagers to sign petition verifying election results

The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (“CCHR”) has received worrying reports from villagers at Sangkat Teuk Laak I in Phnom Penh that the local authorities have been pressuring the villagers into signing a petition that states that they agree with the election results released by the National Election Committee – the same results as those claimed by the Cambodian People’s Party (“CPP”). Unfortunately, this is just one example of local authorities using their positions to pressure people into accepting the contested election results and to intimidate those who they believe to be supporters of the opposition.   

The petition distributed by the local authorities at Sangkat Teuk Laak I was written as if on behalf of the villagers, stating: “We the citizens of Sangkat Teuk Laak I… strongly support the temporary National Assembly election results issued on 12 August 2013”. The petition goes on to state that the villagers observed the election to be free and fair, that they reject any political party that calls for a mass demonstration or that rejects the election results, and that they are happy with the government’s efforts so far in maintaining the peace.

This petition would be absolutely legitimate if villagers had initiated it themselves and had not felt intimidated into signing. The fact that the authorities wrote the petition and then told the villagers to sign it, gave rise to fear amongst several villagers who felt as if their families would be in danger if they did not sign. The actions of the local authorities at Sangkat Teuk Laak I are clearly incompatible with free and fair elections and with freedom of expression in a democracy.

CCHR President Ou Virak comments:

“Amongst widespread reports of election irregularities, this type of behavior by local authorities – putting words in the mouths of their constituents and coercing them to stand up in support of contested election results – does nothing but add fuel to the fire. Petitions written by CPP authorities and signed by the people in a climate of fear are no way of verifying election results and merely signify a rise in the intimidation of citizens through various means. Citizens have every right to disagree with election results and to support any party they wish; the actions of the authorities are undemocratic and inconsistent with the current need to keep the peace.”

For more information please contact Ou Virak via telephone at +855 (0) 1240 4051 or email ouvirak@cchrcambodia.org or CCHR Consultant Orla Kelly via telephone at +855 (0) 6772 7025 or e-mail at orla.kelly@cchrcambodia.org.

Please find the press release attached in PDF format in both English and Khmer.

Kind Regards,
CCHR