Xmer kangaroo courts are so bad that it needs to burnish its reputition

Members of Cambodia’s judicial system participate in a workshop focusing on judicial ethics yesterday in Phnom Penh. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia courts a good reputation

Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Buth Reaksmey Kongkea
The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodian judges and prosecutors needed to work hard to shake a bad reputation for corruption, Justice Minister Ang Vongvathana told a delegation of senior judges and prosecutors yesterday.

His comments came at the start of a two-day workshop hosted by the ministry geared towards building judicial integrity and people’s belief and trust in the court system.

“In our judicial system, and the role of courts, national and international opinions have been focusing on corruption, because it was a strong mechanism affecting people’s belief in judicial systems in Cambodia,” Ang Vongvathana said.

The training, administered with the assistance of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and representatives of the Asia Regional Trafficking in Persons Project, is aimed at strengthening, understanding and implementing a code of conduct for court officials.

អ្នករងគ្រោះ ត្រូវសងប្រាក់ អ្នកសង្ស័យ ចាប់រំលោភ៖ សាលាក្ត អី?

តុលាការ​កាត់​ក្ដី​ឲ្យ​ក្មេង​ស្រី​រង​គ្រោះ​ដោយ​ការ​ចាប់​រំលោភ​សង​ប្រាក់​ជន​សង្ស័យ

2012-02-20
ដោយ សួន សុផលមុន្នី
Radio Free Asia


តុលាការ​ខេត្ត​ប៉ៃលិន បាន​កាត់​សេចក្ដី​ឲ្យ​គ្រួសារ​ក្មេង​ស្រី​រង​គ្រោះ​ដោយ​អំពើ​រំលោភ​​សេពសន្ថវៈ​ម្នាក់​ចាញ់​ក្ដី និង​បាន​បង្គាប់​ឲ្យ​គ្រួសារ​រងគ្រោះ​បង់​ប្រាក់​ជា​ច្រើន​លាន​រៀល​ថែម​ទៀត​ទៅ​ឲ្យ​គ្រួសារ​ជន​ជាប់​សង្ស័យ។


ឪពុក​ម្ដាយ​ក្មេង​ស្រី​រង​គ្រោះ​កំពុង​ស្វះស្វែង​រក​កិច្ច​អន្តរាគមន៍​ពី​អង្គការ​ក្រៅ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ជួយ​ខាង​ផ្លូវ​ច្បាប់ ដើម្បី​ដាក់​ពាក្យ​បណ្ដឹង​ប្ដឹង​ឧទ្ធរណ៍​ជំទាស់​ទៅ​សាលក្រម​តុលាការ​ខេត្ត​ប៉ៃលិន ដែល​បាន​កាត់​ក្ដី​ឲ្យ​មាន​ទោស​ពី​បទ​បរិហារ​កេរ្តិ៍ និង​បង្គាប់​ឲ្យ​បង់​ប្រាក់​ជា​ច្រើន​លាន​រៀល​ទៅ​ឲ្យ​ភាគី​ដើម​បណ្ដឹង ដែល​ជា​ជន​សង្ស័យ​ក្នុង​ការ​ចាប់​រំលោភ​កូន​ស្រី​របស់​គាត់។

លោកស្រី ពិន សំអាត អាយុ ៥២​ឆ្នាំ រស់​នៅ​ភូមិ​ក្រចាប់លើ ឃុំ​អូរតាវ៉ៅ ក្រុង​ប៉ៃលិន ខេត្ត​ប៉ៃលិន។ លោកស្រី​បាន​ថ្លែង​ថា តុលាការ​ខេត្ត​ប៉ៃលិន ពុំ​បាន​លើក​យក​ពាក្យ​បណ្ដឹង​ព្រហ្មទណ្ឌ​កូន​ស្រី​របស់​គាត់​ដែល​រង​គ្រោះ​ដោយ​អំពើ​ចាប់​រំលោភ​ទៅ​ចាត់ការ​តាម​គោលការណ៍​ច្បាប់​ទេ ប៉ុន្តែ​តុលាការ​បែរ​ជា​លើក​យក​ពាក្យ​បណ្ដឹង​បរិហារកេរ្តិ៍​របស់​ជាប់​ជន​សង្ស័យ ដែល​បាន​ចាប់​រំលោភ​កូន​ស្រី​គាត់​ចាត់ការ​ទៅ​វិញ។


លោកស្រី​បន្ត​ថា បន្ទាប់​ពី​បាន​បើក​សវនាការ​លើ​បណ្ដឹង​បរិហារកេរ្តិ៍​កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១ ខែ​កុម្ភៈ ឆ្នាំ​២០១២ តុលាការ​បាន​ប្រកាស​សាលក្រម​ឲ្យ​គ្រួសារ​លោកស្រី​ចាញ់​ក្ដី​ទាំង​អយុត្តិធម៌៖ «ឈ្មោះ ពិន សំអាត ជន​ជាប់​ចោទ​ត្រូវ​ផាក​ពិន័យ ១,៥​លាន​រៀល ត្រូវ​បង់​ជំងឺ​ចិត្ត​ឲ្យ សំ យឿន ហ្នឹង ៨​លាន​រៀល ប៉ុន្តែ​មាន​សិទ្ធិ​ប្ដឹង​ឧទ្ធរណ៍​ដល់​ពេល​ខ្ញុំ​ទៅ​ប្ដឹង គេ​ថា ទាល់តែ​ខ្ញុំ​ហ្នឹង​ឲ្យ​លុយ​គេ ១០​ម៉ឺន​រៀល បាន​គេ​ធ្វើ​ពាក្យ​បណ្ដឹង​ឧទ្ធរណ៍​ឲ្យ ខាន់ សុខា។ គាត់​ថា ទាល់​តែ​មាន​លុយ ១០​ម៉ឺន ខ្ញុំ​ថា ៥​ម៉ឺន​បាន​ទេ គាត់​ថា ១០​ម៉ឺន​បាន​គេ​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ អ៊ីចឹង​ខ្ញុំ​អត់​ទាន់​ធ្វើ ព្រោះ​ខ្ញុំ​អត់​មាន​លុយ ដល់​ម្សិលមិញ​ខ្ញុំ​ចូល​ទៀត ខ្ញុំ​សុំ​បង្កាន់ដៃ»។

Test Seen for Judicial Reform as Council Meets

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Wednesday, 08 June 2011

"... people’s faith in the courts remain shaken, especially since court reform has taken many years."

Lawyers and other justice officials are pushing for more transparency in the judiciary, as a major meeting of the Supreme Council of Magistracy is under way.

The Council is a government body constitutionally established to supervise judges and is expected to announce a four-year rotation of judges and prosecutors, including retirees, on Wednesday.

But some critics of the system say it has allowed many jurists to exceed the age of retirement, 60, or that jurists in well-placed positions have not been rotated out.

Sok Sam Oeun, director of the Cambodian Defenders Project, said some jurists are rotated out of a posting only to be put back at a later date. The transfers are designed so that judges or prosecutors do not amass too much power in one court.

Veera's drama has exposed the weakness of the Cambodian judiciary as just a political tool of Hun Sen

Cambodian justice queried

3/02/2011
Bangkok Post

... high-level [Cambodian] government figures had been able to use the court system to target opposition leaders, activists and journalists with defamation suits. Such an assessment clearly paints the Cambodian justice system in a negative light.

From the outset the additional charge of espionage slapped on Veera Somkhwamkid and his secretary Ratree Pipatanapaiboon by the Cambodian authorities, smelled fishy.

The two were among a group of seven Thais, including Democrat MP Panich Vikitsreth, who were on a trip to investigate Thai villagers' complaints of alleged border intrusion in Sa Kaeo province by Cambodian forces and civilians, when they were arrested by the Cambodian military on Dec 29. They were all initially charged with illegal entry and trespassing in a military area.

No explanation was given why these two were singled out to face the espionage charge, despite the fact that all the seven Thais were on the same trip and at the same spot when they were stopped and apprehended by Cambodian forces. Hence the assumption that the charge was fabricated, probably to teach them a lesson for their open hostility to Cambodia.

Corruption question to Om Yentieng from Boeung Chhouk market sellers in Battambang

Judicial practice under fire

THURSDAY, 15 JULY 2010
BROOKE LEWIS AND MEAS SOKCHEA
The Phnom Penh Post

NEARLY 90 percent of defendants in 199 trials monitored by a human rights group were placed in pretrial detention, and in at least 16 percent of hearings there was evidence that the judges’ decisions might have been open to influence from outside parties, according to a report released yesterday.

The report, the first biannual publication from the Trial Monitoring Project at the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, argues that pretrial detention is overused, and that judges might not act independently in many cases. It draws from observations of 199 trials at Phnom Penh
Municipal Court and Kandal Provincial Court between August and December of last year.

In 16 percent of those cases, lawyers were observed entering judges’ deliberation rooms immediately after hearings concluded, and immediately prior to the reading out of verdicts.

Mang Monika, a senior trial monitor at CCHR, said yesterday that this type of interaction was illegal.

“Only the judge is allowed to be in the deliberation room,” she said. “This law is to ensure that the judge decides cases independently.”

The report also found that judges answered mobile phones during 28 percent of trials for which this activity was monitored.

Though this practice is not illegal, Mang Monika said, it could undermine the public’s confidence that decisions are being rendered by judges alone.

“It is not prohibited, but if a judge answers the phone during the trial it shows that the judge does not respect the accused, and also shows that the judge might be influenced by another party on the phone,” she said.

Mang Monika said the high frequency of pretrial detention indicated that such orders were being issued reflexively, and without thought to other potential methods for ensuring that defendants appear in court when their hearings are held. “There are other ways of preventing the accused from escaping from trial,” she said, and noted that one alternative is to allow defendants to remain in their homes under judicial supervision.

But Phnom Penh Municipal Court President Chev Keng yesterday defended the use of pretrial detention, saying it was employed in the interest of public safety.

“Robbers, killers and drug traffickers – do we allow them to have freedom to continue their actions if we do not have pretrial detention?” he said.

Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana could not be reached for comment.

"Non-independence of the Cambodian judicial system": SRP Press Conference

Yim Sovann's speech

Mrs. Mu Sochua's speech in Khmer

Mrs. Mu Sochua's speech in English

Mu Sochua’s Unfair Trial Reflective Of A Broken Cambodian Judicial System

Cambodia Center for Human Rights

PRESS RELEASE
Phnom Penh – 13 July 2010

MU SOCHUA’S UNFAIR TRIAL REFLECTIVE OF A BROKEN CAMBODIAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM

CCHR releases a legal analysis of the fairness of the judicial process resulting in the conviction of Mu Sochua and calls for a campaign for justice in Cambodia The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (“CCHR”) today releases a legal analysis of the fairness of the judicial process that culminated in the Supreme Court of Cambodia rejecting the appeal by opposition parliamentarian and Nobel Peace Prize nominee H.E. Mu Sochua against her conviction for criminal defamation of Cambodian Prime Minister

The analysis finds that the judicial process was unfair, marked by inequality before the law, seeing the intimidation of Mu Sochua’s lawyer that left her without legal representation, and taking place in courts effectively controlled by a party to the case, the Prime Minster and his Cambodian People’s Party. The analysis places the trial of Mu Sochua in the wider context of a non-independent judiciary often used as a tool to intimidate opposition voices, mistrusted by the Cambodian people, and regularly failing in its constitutional duty to protect their fundamental human rights.

Much of the Cambodian judicial system is broken. Without the implementation of true reform to fix it - that addresses the deep problems of political interference, widespread corruption and limited capacity to understand and apply human rights standards - a structural obstacle remains in place that will forever prevent Cambodians from enjoying their constitutional and human rights. CCHR calls for a campaign for judicial reform including using available domestic, regional and international mechanisms to demand a functioning and fair judiciary that protects the fundamental freedoms, land rights and livelihoods of the people of Cambodia.

The legal analysis will be made available in Khmer and English on the Cambodian Human Rights portal www.sithi.org and on the CCHR website www.cchrcambodia.org.

For more information, please contact:
Ou Virak, President, Cambodian Center for Human Rights
Email: ouvirak@cchrcambodia.org

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Sick Xmer Prime Minister

Cartoons by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

“We are not ignorant to the problems that devastate the country” ... it's just that we don't want to do anything about them: Hoon Xhen

An irate Hun Xen (Photo: Sovannara, RFI)

Hun Sen Angered by UN Envoy’s Remarks

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Monday, 21 June 2010

“I did not escape the meeting with [Subedi],” Hun Sen said. “I had no other reason other than my own health problems, which caused an abrupt cancellation of the meeting.”

Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday lashed out at the UN’s human rights envoy, who said last week he was “disappointed” he was not able to meet Hun Sen during a fact-finding mission this month.

The UN special rapporteur on human rights, Subya Subedi, gave a scathing review of Cambodia’s courts following his 10-day investigation, during which his appointment with Hun Sen was canceled.

Hun Sen said in a speech Monday he had been unable to meet because of a health problem, and he said the diplomatic word “disappointed” was disrespectful and could hurt future visits.

“I am very sorry that Surya P. Subedi used the word ‘disappointed’ for not meeting me,” Hun Sen said. “I think the word lacks the respect for the owner of the country and the leader of Cambodia, which has independence and sovereignty, and [the word] could also be looking down on Cambodians who voted for the [ruling Cambodian People’s Party], through the National Assembly, and for Hun Sen to become prime minister.”

Hun Sen has traditionally had a prickly relationship with UN rights envoys, and he cut off meetings entirely with Subedi’s predecessor, Yash Ghai, who was heavily critical of Cambodia’s human rights record.

“I did not escape the meeting with [Subedi],” Hun Sen said. “I had no other reason other than my own health problems, which caused an abrupt cancellation of the meeting.”

Subedi said last week he was not confident the courts could bring justice to the people of Cambodia. Subedi met with Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and senior government adviser Om Yentieng and will submit detailed recommendations to the UN’s Human Rights Council in September.

In his speech Monday, Hun Sen also took issue with Subedi’s assessment of the courts, which the envoy said lacked the resources, organization and willingness on the part of some judges to “command the confidence of the people.”

“We are not ignorant to the problems that devastate the country,” Hun Sen said. “You [Subedi], do not try to break through the door when the door is open, and don’t tell me that rain is falling when I’m standing under the rain.”

UN Special Rapporteur criticizes Cambodia's Judiciary

Report by Yun Samean, Radio Free Asia
Video by Uon Chhin

UN official accuses Cambodia of human rights breaches

June 18, 2010
ABC Radio Australia

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Cambodia says he has serious concerns about Cambodia's human rights record. Surya Prasad Subedi has just ended a ten day mission to Cambodia, focussing mainly on the judiciary, and says he's uncovered serious shortcomings. He says it's a judicial system that's critically underfunded and fails to appropriately train people in the basics of human rights law.

Presenter: Rob Sharp
Speakers: Surya Prasad Subedi, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Cambodia

Click here to listen to the audio program (Windows Media)

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Surya Prasad Subedi

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

UN Envoy Fingers Courts as Political Tools

U.N. special rapporteur Surya Subedi walks through a Cambodian national flag upon his arrival at the U.N. headquarter in Phnom Penh. (Photo: AP)

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Thursday, 17 June 2010

“I am troubled by the impact of land disputes, land concessions and resettlements on the lives of ordinary people, both in rural and urban areas, miscarriages of justice, and the narrowing of political space for critical debate in society,” Subedi said.

The UN envoy for human rights, Surya Subedi, concluded a 10-day trip to Cambodia with a pointed criticism of the courts, which he said are “facing tremendous challenges in delivering justice for the people of the country, especially the poor and marginalized.”

“A combination of a lack of adequate resources, organizational and institutional shortcomings, a lack of full awareness of the relevant human rights standards, and external interference, financial or otherwise, in the work of the judiciary, has resulted in an institution that does not command the confidence of people from many walks of life,” he said in a statement.

Subedi noted “an alarmingly high number of people in detention due to various shortcomings in the criminal justice system.”

“The instances of miscarriage of justice are far too numerous,” he said. “The constraints on the judiciary’s ability to act according to its mandated role in the constitutional order of Cambodia are manifold. While some are related to gaps in their capacity to deliver justice (including funding, infrastructure and training), other constraints are linked to gaps in their knowledge of human rights law.”

Many judges are committed to justice according to the law, he noted, “but for many this commitment is compromised by external interference. And for others the commitment is just not there.”

Subedi said he “raised specific concerns relating to the judiciary’s role in protecting freedom of expression. And in cases involving land-related rights.”

“I am troubled by the impact of land disputes, land concessions and resettlements on the lives of ordinary people, both in rural and urban areas, miscarriages of justice, and the narrowing of political space for critical debate in society,” Subedi said.

“I call on the Royal Government of Cambodia to introduce appropriate measures to enhance the independence and capacity of the judiciary to enable it to function as an institution capable of providing justice to all in Cambodia,” he said. “If you are poor, weak and dispossessed of your land, you seem to have limited chance to obtain redress either through existing administrative land management systems or through the courts.”

Subedi called on the government to devise a strict timetable to follow his recommendations and encouraged the government to work with civil society organizations.

Subedi, who met with Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and senior government adviser Om Yentieng on his visit, will submit detailed recommendations to the UN’s Human Rights Council in September.

Ek Tha, a spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said the government “would like completely to deny his speech.”

The government has worked to reform the judiciary, including establishing a school for magistracy, registrars and notaries, he said, and the country produces 55 new judges per year.

“We have laid down a good foundation for our judiciary to work properly in the future,” he said. “We cannot achieve that overnight, given that our country has emerged from more than three decades of civil war and our judges were killed by the Khmer Rouge.”

"If you are poor, weak and dispossessed of your land, you seem to have limited chance to obtain redress": Surya Subedi

UN rights envoy says judiciary fails many Cambodians

Thu, 17 Jun 2010
DPA

Phnom Penh - The United Nations' human rights envoy to Cambodia said Thursday the country's judiciary is failing in key areas, adding that the government must take action to ensure justice for all.

Wrapping up his 10-day visit to assess the judiciary, Surya Subedi pointedly praised Phnom Penh for introducing a series of important laws in recent years, including an anti-corruption act.

But it was the shortcomings that dominated.

Subedi blamed the judiciary's failings on a number of factors including financial and political interference, as well as a lack of resources and limited knowledge of human rights laws.

"The judiciary is facing tremendous challenges in delivering justice for the people of the country, especially the poor and marginalised," Subedi said, adding that some judges were simply not interested in upholding the law.

Cambodia's crisis of land-grabbing by the powerful was a key theme, with Subedi saying the courts were failing to deal equitably with the scourge.

"If you are poor, weak and dispossessed of your land, you seem to have limited chance to obtain redress," he said.

"They have come to see me, they have gone to knock on other doors, they have gone to queue up outside the residence of the prime minister, so they are knocking on every possible door for justice," he said of the fruitless pursuit of justice by the landless.

Subedi also criticized the government's ongoing efforts to muzzle its critics through the courts. He said the use of defamation lawsuits was disproportionate and had narrowed the space for public discourse.

He called on the government to set out a timetable to implement a series of recommendations to improve the observance of human rights.

Subedi is mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to report on human rights in Cambodia, and is due to submit his report to the body in September.

UN raises concerns over Cambodia's human rights record

Thu, 17 Jun 2010
ABC Radio Australia

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Cambodia says he has serious concerns about the kingdom's human rights record.

Surya Prasad Subedi has just completed a 10 day fact-finding mission, focussing mainly on the judiciary.

He says he's uncovered serious shortcomings in a judicial system that is critically underfunded and fails to appropriately train people in the basics of human rights law.

Mr Subedi says Cambodia has made some progress, by allowing him and the UN to meet the King and senior government officials.

However, he says he's still troubled by serious human rights breaches, including the forced eviction of people in government land grabs.

'I'm quite troubled by the impact of land disputes and resettlements on the lives of ordinary people, both in the rural and urban areas, and miscarriages of justice and the narrowing of political space for critical debate in society, mainly due to the disproportionate use of defamation and incitement lawsuits against journalists, activists and political opponents."

UN human rights expert urges strengthening of Cambodian justice system

UN News Centre

17 June 2010 – An independent United Nations expert today urged Cambodian authorities to strengthen the country’s judiciary and improve human rights, saying the nation still has too many shortcomings in its justice system.

“There is an alarmingly high number of people in detention due to various shortcomings in the criminal justice system, and the instances of miscarriage of justice are far too numerous,” Surya Prasad Subedi, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, warned at the end of his 10-day fact-finding mission.

“I call on the Royal Government of Cambodia to introduce appropriate measures to enhance the independence and capacity of the judiciary to enable it to function as an institution capable of providing justice to all in Cambodia,” he stated in a news release.

The expert concluded that Cambodia’s judiciary is facing tremendous challenges in delivering justice for its people, especially the poor and the marginalized.

He raised specific concerns relating to the judiciary’s role in protecting freedom of expression, and the narrowing of political space for critical debate in society, “due to the disproportionate use of defamation, disinformation and incitement lawsuits against journalists, human rights activists and political opponents.”

Another major concern was cases involving land-related rights. “If you are poor, weak and dispossessed of your land, you seem to have limited chance to obtain redress either through existing administrative land management systems, or through the courts,” said Mr. Subedi.

The Special Rapporteur welcomed the adoption of a series of new laws designed to strengthen the system of justice.

However, he warned that “a combination of a lack of adequate resources, organizational and institutional shortcomings, a lack of full awareness of the relevant human rights standards, and external interference, financial or otherwise, in the work of the judiciary, has resulted in an institution that does not command the confidence of people from many walks of life.”

Mr. Subedi, who met with King Norodom Sihamoni and members of the Government and judiciary during his visit, encouraged the Government to forge ahead with measures to enhance and strengthen the judiciary and to improve the situation of human rights, and offered his assistance for such efforts.

He will submit a report, including recommendations for judicial reform in Cambodia, to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council in September.

UN envoy cites shortcomings of Cambodian judiciary

2010-06-17
Associated Press

A United Nations envoy investigating Cambodia's judicial system said Thursday that there are too many detainees and miscarriages of justice.

U.N. special rapporteur Surya Subedi called on the government to "introduce appropriate measures to enhance the independence and capacity of the judiciary ... to (provide) justice to all in Cambodia."

Subedi statement came at the end of a 10-day fact-finding mission. He is expected to submit a report with recommendations for judicial reform to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva in September.

"The judiciary in Cambodia is facing tremendous challenges in delivering justice for the people of the country, especially the poor and marginalized," he said. "There are an alarmingly high number of people in detention ... and the instances of miscarriage of justice are far too numerous."

Cambodia's judicial system is widely regarded as corrupt and susceptible to political manipulation.

Subedi's predecessor, Yash Ghai, repeatedly clashed with Prime Minister Hun Sen's government over human rights. Ghai had reported that many Cambodians lived in constant fear of having their land stolen by real estate developers and had no recourse because of a corrupt judiciary.

Subedi said he had received several complaints from local politicians and poor Cambodians about constraints on freedom of expression and land disputes and had met with victims of "land grabbing" who said they saw no point in taking their case to the courts.

During his last visit to Cambodia in March, Subedi has said he had made progress on human rights with Hun Sen after years of animosity between the two sides over the thorny issue.

Subedi on Thursday welcomed the adoption of laws in recent years such as a new penal code, an anti-corruption law and a criminal procedure code that are designed to strengthen the judicial system. But he noted a long list of shortcomings that include "external interference" in the judiciary and a lack of awareness among judges about human rights standards.

Cambodian courts 'troubling'

Jun 17, 2010
AFP

PHNOM PENH (Cambodia) - THE UN special rapporteur for human rights urged Cambodia on Thursday to boost judicial independence as he warned that courts faced 'tremendous challenges' in providing justice for the poor.

Surya Subedi said a range of issues, including external interference in proceedings and a lack of awareness of human rights standards, meant the public did not have confidence in the legal system.

Wrapping up a 10-day fact-finding mission on the workings of the courts system - which has faced accusations of corruption and political tampering in the past - Mr Surya said obtaining justice for the poor and marginalised was a particular problem. The UN representative said he was 'troubled' by the impact of land disputes and resettlement on ordinary people.

'If you are poor, weak and dispossessed of your land, you seem to have limited chance to obtain redress either through existing administrative land management system, or through the court,' he told a press conference. Cambodia has faced mounting criticism over the past few years because of a spate of forced evictions throughout the country at the hands of army and police.

Mr Surya - who was appointed last year after his predecessor Yash Ghai resigned following a war of words with the government - also expressed concern about the 'narrowing of the political space for critical debate' because of the disproportionate use of court actions.

Rights groups have heavily criticised authorities in the past year for launching a number of defamation and disinformation law suits against critics and opposition members.

U.N. envoy arrives in Cambodia on third mission

June 08, 2010
Xinhua

The United Nations' special rapporteur for human rights in Cambodia arrived in this country on Tuesday for his ten-day mission.

Surya Subedi is making his third mission here since he was appointed as the U.N special envoy on human rights in Cambodia last year.

According to the statement of the U.N office in Cambodia, it said Surya Subedi will assess the country's judicial system.

"I will focus my mission to Cambodia on the functioning of the judiciary as part of my ongoing assessment of institutions critical to the promotion and protection of human rights, with a view to assessing the extent to which it is accessible to ordinary Cambodians and delivers justice," Subedi said in a statement which was issued by the local office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.

During the visit, Subedi will meet with King Norodom Sihamoni and Prime Minister Hun Sen. He will also meet with judicial officials and civil society representatives.

According to his schedule, Subedi will stay in Cambodia until June 17.