Chan Soveth continues his travel to Sweden

អនុប្រធាន​ផ្នែក​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត នៃ​អង្គការ​ការពារ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​អាដហុក (Adhoc) លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត និយាយ​ក្នុង​ពិធី​ខួប​លើក​ទី​២០​របស់​អង្គការ​លីកាដូ (Licadho) កាល​ពី​យប់​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៦ ខែ​សីហា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២។ (RFA/Sok Serey)

លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត បន្ត​ទៅ​ស៊ុយអែត ខណៈ​ជាប់​ចោទ​ពី​បទ​ផ្ដល់​ជំនួយ​ចារី

2012-09-06
ដោយ ទីន ហ្សាការីយ៉ា
Radio Free Asia

Synopsis: Chan Soveth, a principal investigator for the Adhoc human rights group, continued his mission from Thailand to Sweden in order to participate in a human rights meeting. His trips follow the accusation leveled by the Phnom Penh municipal court charging him of providing help to a criminal in August. Meanwhile, in the case of Mam Sonando, President of the Association of Democrats, the court will hold its hearing on 11 September. Mam Sonando’s case is also linked to Chan Soveth’s case. Human rights officials are concerned about Mam Sonando’s case as the court had issued summonses to several dozens of people to come and clarify during the court hearing date. They believe that these witnesses are only brought by the court to bring more charges on Mam Sonando.

មន្ត្រី​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់ នៃ​សមាគម​អាដហុក (Adhoc) លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត បាន​បន្ត​បេសកកម្ម​ពី​ប្រទេស​ថៃ ទៅ​កាន់​ប្រទេស​ទី​បី​ទៀត គឺ​ប្រទេស​ស៊ុយអែត ដើម្បី​ចូល​រួម​ប្រជុំ​ស្ដីពី​ការ​គោរព​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស ខណៈ​ដែល​លោក​ជាប់​បណ្ដឹង​នៅ​សាលា​ដំបូង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ ពី​បទ​ផ្ដល់​ជំនួយ​ចារី កាល​ពី​ខែ​សីហា កន្លង​ទៅ។

ដោយ​ឡែក ករណី​លោក ម៉ម សូណង់ដូ ជា​ប្រធាន​សមាគម​អ្នក​ប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ​នោះ តុលាការ​នឹង​បើក​សវនាការ​ជំនុំ​ជម្រះ នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១១ កញ្ញា ខាង​មុខ ដែល​ជា​សំណុំ​រឿង​ទាក់​ទង​នឹង​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត ដែរ​នោះ។ ប៉ុន្តែ ក្រុម​មន្ត្រី​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​ព្រួយ​បារម្ភ​ថា តុលាការ​បាន​កោះ​ហៅ​សាក្សី​រាប់​សិប​នាក់ ដើម្បី​មក​ឆ្លើយ​បំភ្លឺ​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ជំនុំ​ជម្រះ​លោក ម៉ម សូណង់ដូ នោះ​ជា​រឿង​ដាក់​បន្ទុក​លើ​រូប​លោក ម៉ម សំណង់ដូ។

មេធាវី​នៃ​អង្គការ​ជំនួយ​ផ្នែក​ច្បាប់​នៅ​កម្ពុជា លោក សំ សុខគង់ មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ថា កូន​ក្ដី​របស់​លោក គឺ​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត មិន​ទាន់​វិល​ត្រលប់​មក​កម្ពុជា​វិញ​ទេ​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៦ កញ្ញា ដោយ​សារ​តែ​បន្ត​បេសកកម្ម​នៅ​ក្រៅ​ប្រទេស។ លោក សំ សុខគង់ អះអាង​ថា កូន​ក្ដី​របស់​លោក​នឹង​វិល​មក​កម្ពុជា​វិញ នៅ​ក្រោយ​ពេល​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត បញ្ចប់​បេសកកម្ម​នៅ​ឯ​បរទេស។ ចំណែក​ឯ​តុលាការ​មិន​ទាន់​ចេញ​ដីកា​កោះ​ហៅ​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត ជា​ថ្មី​នៅ​ឡើយ​ដែរ។

Hun Xen's "Close the door, beat the dog" military operation in Proma village - by Anonymous

Hun Xen's travesty of justice in Cambodia - By Anonymous

Rights worker’s hearing delayed

Adhoc head of monitoring Chan Soveth at a press conference in Phnom Penh earlier this year. Photograph: Pha Lina/Phnom Penh Post

Friday, 24 August 2012
Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post

A Phnom Penh Municipal Court judge yesterday approved a proposal to delay the case against human-rights worker Chan Soveth, according to his employer, Adhoc.

Soveth has been accused of providing assistance to “specific perpetrators”. Although the court did not provide names, an anonymous court official recently told the Post that the charges are related to an alleged secessionist plot in Kratie province’s Chhloung district, which authorities claim was led by Bun Ratha.

Ny Chakrya, the head of Adhoc’s monitoring section, said yesterday Judge Chhe Virak had notified Soveth’s lawyer that he had agreed to suspend the case, although he did not provide a future date.

Hun Xen's "FAKE" allegations against Bun Ratha

Hun Xen the terror monster: He falsely accuses others of secession to shut them up

Alleged secessionist plot leader has fighting words for PM Hun Sen

Wednesday, 22 August 2012
May Titthara
The Phnom Penh Post

Wanted so-called secessionist plot ringleader Bun Ratha blasted Prime Minister Hun Sen during a radio interview yesterday, dismissing as “fake” allegations the premier has levelled against him, Beehive Radio Station director Mam Sonando and rights worker Chan Soveth.

Ratha, who fled into hiding just before he was targeted during a brutal security forces crackdown on a village in Kratie province that left a 14-year-old girl dead in April, is wanted along with several others for his alleged role in trying to form an autonomous mini-state.

During an interview with Radio Free Asia yesterday, Ratha said anyone who dared to question the government’s real motivation for the crackdown, which he maintains was to forcibly end a land dispute, was being targeted with the same fictitious allegations.

“I would like to deny that I am involved with Chan Soveth. And I think Mr Hun Sen is creating more fake evidence to shut up any official or people who dare to talk about the issue of Pro Ma village, Kampong Damrei commune in Kratie,” he told Radio Free Asia.

Accusations against Chan Soveth constitute freedom restriction and serious threats

អនុប្រធាន​ផ្នែក​ស៊ើប​អង្កេត នៃ​អង្គការ​ការពារ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​អាដហុក (Adhoc) លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត និយាយ​ក្នុង​ពិធី​ខួប​លើក​ទី​២០​របស់​អង្គការ​លីកាដូ (Licadho) កាល​ពី​យប់​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៦ ខែ​សីហា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២។ (RFA/Sok Serey)

មូលហេតុ​​តុលាការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត

2012-08-18
ដោយ ខែ សុណង
Radio Free Asia

ក្រុម​មន្ត្រី​អង្គការ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​បាន​ចាត់​ទុក​ករណី​សាលា​ដំបូង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ​ចេញ​ដីកា​កោះ​ហៅ​សកម្មជន​ការពារ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស ថា​ជា​ការ​បំបិទ​សិទ្ធិ​សេរីភាព និង​គំរាម​កំហែង​យ៉ាង​ធ្ងន់ធ្ងរ។

មន្ត្រី​អង្គការ​សង្គម​ស៊ីវិល​ជាង​២០​បាន​នាំ​គ្នា​រិះគន់​ថា ដីកា​កោះ​ហៅ លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត បាន​ធ្វើ​ឡើង​បន្ទាប់​ពី​លោក​នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ហ៊ុន សែន ថ្លែង​សន្ទរកថា​ជា​សាធារណៈ​នោះ។

ក្រុម​អ្នក​ច្បាប់ និង​មន្ត្រី​អង្គការ​ផ្នែក​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​អះអាង​ថា ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត អនុ​ប្រធាន​ផ្នែក​អង្កេត​នៃ​សមាគម​អាដហុក គឺ​ជា​រឿង​នយោបាយ ពីព្រោះ​លោក​មិន​បាន​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​ដូច​ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​នោះ​ឡើយ។

ចៅក្រម​ស៊ើបសួរ​សាលា​ដំបូង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ លោក ឆែ វីរៈ បាន​ចេញ​ដីកា​កោះ​ហៅ​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត ឲ្យ​ចូល​ខ្លួន​នៅ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​២៤ សីហា ទាក់ទង​ទៅ​នឹង​ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​ពី​បទ ការ​ផ្ដល់​ជំនួយ​ដល់​ចារី ឬ​ផ្តល់​ជំនួយ​ដល់​អ្នក​ប្រព្រឹត្ត​បទ​ល្មើស​តាម​មាត្រា​៥៤៤ នៃ​ក្រម​ព្រហ្មទណ្ឌ។

ប្រធាន​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​កម្ពុជា ស៊ី​ស៊ី​អេក​អរ (C.C.H.R) លោក អ៊ូ វីរៈ បាន​រិះគន់​ថា ការ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់​លោក ចាន់ សុវ៉េត គឺ​ជា​រឿង​នយោបាយ ជា​ការ​គាប​សង្កត់​ទៅ​លើ​សិទ្ធិ​សេរីភាព​ការងារ​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស ដែល​អាច​ឲ្យ​តុលាការ​ដែល​មិន​អាច​បញ្ចេញ​តួនាទី​បាន​ដោយ​ឯករាជ្យ។

Amid Kratie Crackdown, Fears of a ‘Downward Spiral’ for Freedoms

Police later said the protest was linked to a secessionist movement in the province, a claim that has not been widely supported, and began making arrests of alleged ringleaders.

Rights groups say the summons is a continuation of a campaign of intimidation against civil society in the wake of the Kratie crackdown.

Sok Khemara, Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer

18 August 2012

WASHINGTON and PHNOM PENH - With prominent rights worker Chan Soveth summoned to court to face charges related to an ongoing secessionist crackdown, international and local rights advocates say they now fear a major backslide in the country’s civil rights.

Chan Soveth, lead investigator for the rights group Adhoc, has been summoned to appear before Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Aug. 24 and is accused of “providing assistance to the perpetrator” of a crime, which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison under Cambodia’s criminal code.

Rights officials say the charges are related to the flight of a man named Bun Rotha, who is wanted in connection with a violent land protest in Kratie province in May, when authorities swept into the province’s Chlong district, Kampong Damei commune, forcing nearly 1,000 families to evict and shooting and killing a 14-year-old girl in the process.

Police later said the protest was linked to a secessionist movement in the province, a claim that has not been widely supported, and began making arrests of alleged ringleaders. Among four so far arrested was Beehive Radio owner Mam Sonando, who is accused of leading the movement through his Association of Democrats, a civic organization. He remains in jail awaiting trial, while his radio station, one of the last independent broadcast media outlets in the country, has struggled to continue its programming.

Cambodia: Judicial harassment of Mr. Chan Soveth

Chan Soveth (Photo: Ir Channa, RFI)

URGENT APPEAL - THE OBSERVATORY

KHM 004 / 0812 / OBS 075
Judicial harassment
Cambodia
August 16, 2012

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Cambodia.

Description of the situation:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources of a citation to appear in court issued against Mr. Chan Soveth, Senior Investigator and Deputy Head of the Monitoring Section of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC).

According to the information received, on August 9, 2012, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court issued a citation summoning Mr. Soveth to appear before an investigating judge on August 24, 2012.

Mr. Soveth was charged with “providing assistance to the perpetrator” of a “crime” under Article 544 of the Cambodian Criminal Code, and faces an imprisonment sentence of one to three years and a fine of two million to six million Riels.

Exact details behind this charge have not yet been disclosed by the government, but they appear to be connected to a long-standing land dispute in Kratie province. On May 16, 2012, the government sent in hundreds of armed security personnel, supported by helicopters, to evict villagers who were living in an area in Kratie province marked for development by a Russian company. During the eviction, Ms. Heng Chantha, a 14-year-old girl, was shot dead. Government officials later justified the operation by claiming the villagers, some of whom are members of the Independent Democrats Association, were part of a secession movement. ADHOC released a statement on May 17 and condemned the killing of the young girl[1]. It is believed that the charges against Mr. Soveth are linked to his sheltering of a land activist involved in this issue. The court citation was signed on August 9, 2012, just eight days after Prime Minister Hun Sen made accusatory references in a nationally televised speech to an unnamed “human rights worker” for his role in providing assistance to villagers in relation to this land dispute.

Joint Media Statement- Charges Against ADHOC Staffer

https://www.box.com/s/b15b50af2ace04d743a9



https://www.box.com/s/6a4eaf07cc79ba395973

CCHR HRD Alert - Case of Chan Soveth

https://www.box.com/s/00980110a696c7179983



https://www.box.com/s/bcb44a6b615c394dfc8c

Vague charges for Cambodian NGO official

Chan Soveth (Photo: Ir Channa, RFI)

Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
The Phnom Penh Post

“I am now wondering what proof or evidence or offence that the court has accused him of, and then charged him with”

In a mysteriously vague citation, Adhoc monitoring head Chan Saveth has been called to the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to face charges of “providing assistance to specific perpetrators”.

Although the court’s summons, which asks Saveth to appear on August 24, provides no specifics as to the “perpetrators” in question, a court official who spoke to the Post on condition of anonymity said the term was a reference to Bun Ratha and his associates.

Ratha was accused of being a “secessionist” and inciting villagers in a land dispute in May that led to the death of a teenage girl in Kratie province. The death came only weeks after environmentalist Chut Wutty was shot dead in Koh Kong province.

Who said that Khmer Court was not independent?

Prominent Rights Advocate Summoned for Court Questioning [-Corrupt officials are released while human rights defenders are summoned]

Chan Soveth (Photo: Ir Channa, RFI)

He is accused of aiding Bun Rotha, a village activist who helped organize a land protest in Kratie province in May.

14 August 2012

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer

PHNOM PENH - Chan Saveth, a senior investigator for the rights group Adhoc, has received a summons from Phnom Penh Municipal Court to answer questions related to allegations he helped an alleged secessionist leave the country.

He is accused of aiding Bun Rotha, a village activist who helped organize a land protest in Kratie province in May that authorities have claimed was an uprising against the government.

That protest, which led to a violent crackdown by the authorities, and an alleged secessionist movement associated with it have been cited in the detention of Mam Sonando, the owner of Beehive Radio.

Chan Saveth, who is 44, said he appears to have been charged with crimes already, though the specific crimes remain unclear. “Based on the subpoena my wife read to me, it means I have been charged already, on what crime I don’t know,” he told VOA Khmer by phone.

ADHOC concerned about charges on Chan Soveth

​លោក ចាន់ សា​វ៉េ​ត ប្រធាន​ក្រុម​ស៊ើបអង្កេត​របស់​អង្គការសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស​អាដ​ហុក 

អាដហុក បង្ហាញ​ក្តីបារម្ភ ចំពោះ​ការប្តឹង​ចោទប្រកាន់​លោក ចាន់ សា​វ៉េ​ត​

ថ្ងៃទី 14 សីហា 2012
ដោយ: សុខ ភក្តី
Cambodia Express News

ភ្នំពេញ: អង្គការ អាដហុក បានបង្ហាញ​ក្តីបារម្ភ ចំពោះ​ការប្តឹង​ចោទប្រកាន់​លោក ចាន់ សា​វ៉េ​ត ប្រធាន​ក្រុម​ស៊ើបអង្កេត​របស់​អង្គការសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស​អាដ​ហុក ពាក់ព័ន្ធ​នឹង​ជម្លោះ​ដីធ្លី នៅ​ស្រុក​ឆ្លូង ខេត្ត​ក្រចេះ​។ អាដហុក បាន​កោះប្រជុំ​បន្ទាន់​មួយ នៅ​ល្ងាច​ថ្ងៃទី​១៤​សីហា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២ លើ​ករណី​នេះ​ផង​ដែរ​។​

​សេចក្តីថ្លែងការណ៍​ចំហ​ចុះ​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៤​សីហា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២ បង្ហាញថា សមាគម​អង្គការ​អាដហុក សូម​សំដែង​ការព្រួយបារម្ភ​យ៉ាង​ជ្រាលជ្រៅ​បំផុត ចំពោះ​ដីកា​បង្គាប់​ឲ្យចូល​ខ្លួន ដែល​ចេញ​ដោយ​លោក ឆែ វីរៈ ចៅក្រម​ស៊ើបសួរ​សាលាដំបូង​រាជធានី​ភ្នំពេញ កាលពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​៩ ខែ​សីហា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២​។ លោក​ចាន់​សា​វ៉េ​ត ជា​អ្នក​ស៊ើបអង្កេត​ជាន់ខ្ពស់ និង​ជា​អនុប្រធាន​ផ្នែក​ត្រួតពិនិត្យ​សិទ្ធិមនុស្ស របស់​សមាគម​អាដហុក ត្រូវ​បាន​កោះ​ហៅ​ឲ្យចូល​បំភ្លឺ​នៅ​មុខ​ចៅក្រម​ស៊ើបសួរ ឆែ វីរៈ នៅ​ម៉ោង ៨ និង ៣០ នាទី​ព្រឹក​ថ្ងៃទី​២៤ ខែ​សីហា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២​។​

​សេចក្តីថ្លែងការណ៍ លើកឡើងថា លោក​ចាន់​សា​វ៉េ​ត អាយុ ៤៤ ឆ្នាំ ត្រូវបាន​គេ​ចោទ​ប្រកាន់ថា បាន​ផ្តល់​ជំនួយ​ដល់​ចារី​ជាអាទិ៍ ( អ្នកប្រព្រឹត្ត​បទឧក្រិដ្ឋ ) ប្រព្រឹត្ត​នៅ​រាជធានី​​ភ្នំពេញ កាលពី​ខែ​ឧសភា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២ តាម​បញ្ញត្តិ មាត្រា ៥៤៤ នៃ​ក្រម​ព្រហ្ម​ទណ្ឌ​។ ការចោទប្រកាន់​នោះ អាច​នឹង​ឲ្យ​លោក​ចាន់​សា​វ៉េ​ត ជាប់​ពន្ធនាគារ​ពី ១ ឆ្នាំ ទៅ ៣ ឆ្នាំ​។​

Subpena issued against Chan Soveth, Adhoc's Human Rights Defender

Chan Soveth (Photo: Ir Channa, RFI)

MoI allows Human Rights Day parade only after foreign embassies' intervention with the government big guns

Government authorizes Huan Rights Day parade

09 December 2007
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The royal government of Cambodia authorized human rights activists to organize a non-violent demonstration parade on Monday, to mark the 10 December International Human Rights Day and to express their opinion.

General Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior (MoI), told RFA on Sunday that this MoI and the city of Phnom Penh authorized this parade because civil society representatives and the authority met to negotiate, and the authority allowed the parade by maintaining a proper schedule, avoiding any demonstration that disturbs the public order, that was why the authority agreed to the request.

Regarding this authorization, Chan Soveth, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights organization, told RFA that he is not satisfied with it yet because this authorization came only after interventions from foreign embassy personnel in Cambodia.

Chan Soveth said: “When there are foreign protests, such as those which came from the various embassies, then they were able to talk to those high-ranking (Cambodian) officials who softened their attitudes and allow us to hold this parade. For us Khmer, who abide (by the law), who are sovereign (in our country), we cannot negotiate with them to hold this celebration.”

A source indicated that the Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee (CHRAC), in cooperation with several Cambodian organizations and associations, have decided to hold a parade with the participation of about 500 people, starting from the public park in Phsar Chas to the Wat Phnom park. At that location, another 4,000 participants will greet the marchers.

Regarding the holding of this non-violent demonstration parade on Monday, a source from the UN Human Rights office in Cambodia indicated that the UN Special Envoy on Human Rigths in Cambodia, Prof. Yash Ghai, who is currently visiting Cambodia, plans to participate in this parade also.

Earlier, the Phnom Penh city hall refused to give the authorization for the parade, but it allowed the participants to stay in one area, because of its concerns about public order and safety.

Delegates of the US-based Freedom House organization who recently completed their visit to Cambodia, issued an evaluation report on human rights and democracy in Cambodia. In this report, Freedom House criticized that the rights to gather to protest and to express opinion, the rule of law, and the quality of justice in Cambodia still suffer significantly.

Freedom House representatives also criticized the draft law on peaceful demonstration which is currently being submitted for approval by the National Assembly in the near future. Freedom House said that this draft law will further drag down Cambodia score (on this issue).