CAMBODIACountry Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
March 8, 2006
Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy with an elected government and a population of approximately 13.1 million. Following elections in 2003, the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), led by Prime Minister Hun Sen, and the National United Front for a Neutral, Peaceful, Cooperative, and Independent Cambodia (FUNCINPEC), led by Prince Norodom Ranariddh, formed a coalition government in 2004. However, the CPP dominated the government, with most power concentrated in the hands of the prime minister. Although the civilian authorities nominally controlled the security forces, in practice security forces answered to the CPP leadership.
Unlike in 2004, there were no reported political killings. Nevertheless, the government's human rights record worsened, as the country's fragile democracy suffered several setbacks, particularly in the areas of political participation and freedom of speech. The government undertook actions that served to neutralize its critics through a limited number of arrests of journalists, leaders of civil society, human rights activists, and members of the political opposition. In February the National Assembly removed parliamentary immunity from three opposition members of parliament (MPs) to pursue possible criminal cases against them. The government used the weak and often politically biased judiciary to file defamation suits to arrest, silence, and intimidate civil society and critics of government policy. The following human rights problems were reported:
Unlike in 2004, there were no reported political killings. Nevertheless, the government's human rights record worsened, as the country's fragile democracy suffered several setbacks, particularly in the areas of political participation and freedom of speech. The government undertook actions that served to neutralize its critics through a limited number of arrests of journalists, leaders of civil society, human rights activists, and members of the political opposition. In February the National Assembly removed parliamentary immunity from three opposition members of parliament (MPs) to pursue possible criminal cases against them. The government used the weak and often politically biased judiciary to file defamation suits to arrest, silence, and intimidate civil society and critics of government policy. The following human rights problems were reported:
- extrajudicial killings
- impunity of security forces
- abuse of detainees, often to extract confessions
- harsh prison conditions
- arbitrary arrest and prolonged pretrial detention
- a weak judiciary and denial of the right to a fair trial
- government control of or influence over the content of television and radio broadcasts
- government interference with freedom of assembly
- domestic violence and discrimination in the workplace against women
- child abuse
- trafficking in women and children
- land disputes and lack of fair resolutions
- antiunion activity by employers and nonenforcement of labor laws
- child labor
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