Repression continues after Hun Sen relinquished power to his son, with ten environmentalists convicted of lèse-majesté and one of two remaining independent unions targeted by the authorities. The lack of charisma of the young heir seems to have be fuelling corruption and abuse of power.
Phnom Penh (AsiaNews) – Almost a year since Hun Manet took over as prime minister from his father, Hun Sen, following the elections of 27 July 2023, thus ending the 43-year reign of the Hun senior, political repression continues in Cambodia with opponents, human rights activists, bloggers, and trade unionists tried, convicted, and jailed or sent into exile.
The latest case was reported two days ago, when 10 members of Mother Nature Cambodia (MNC) were given sentences ranging from six to eight years. The environmental group is committed to protecting the environment and supporting the rights of local communities.
As in previous cases, the lèse-majesté law was used. Ostensibly designed to protect the dignity of the Royal House, it has been employed by the governing Cambodian People's Party to enforce its rule
Three activists were handed down the highest penalty, while seven others were convicted of conspiring against the state. Seven of the accused were under age at the time of the alleged offences.
Filing for an appeal is unlikely to overturn a ruling critics call politically motivated, intended to further intimidate every form of dissent.
Any hope raised by Hun Manet’s rise to power (in elections without opposition) for improvements in human rights and civil liberties have been largely dashed. The only progress reported has been in economic development and foreign investment.
Lacking his father's charisma and the fear he imposed in country, Hun Manet has had to extend the existing patronage system to build consensus around him, at the cost of greater corruption and abuses of power, including cracking down on dissent and censoring information before it reaches Cambodians.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights yesterday condemned the court decision, warning that the use of the lèse-majesté law to criminalise freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association are incompatible with Cambodia's obligations under international law, in particular the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which the country is signatory.
Before the authorities went after the environmental group, they also targeted one of two surviving independent unions, the Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights (CENTRAL), for a report released on 4 June on freedom of association in the garment industry.
This sector is crucial for the country’s economy, but with the complicity or negligence of big international brands that localised production in the Southeast Asian country, the authorities have clamped down on workers trying to uphold laws and regulations protecting their rights in accordance with recognised standards.
The union's white paper, which is also critical of the International Labour Organisation's programme to improve conditions in Cambodian factories, is under investigation by the Ministry of the Interior.