Thu the 5th Waxing Moon of Assayuja B.E.2560, October 6, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey

The Hon. Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan
President of National Assembly of Vietnam
Doc Lap Street, Quan Thanh
Ba Dinh, Hanoi

Dear National Assembly President Nguyen Kim Ngân,

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, are writing to express our concerns about the proposed Law on Belief and Religion in Vietnam. The draft law, which has been revised several times and drawn strong criticism from many religious communities, is expected to be voted into law by the National Assembly at its session in October- November 2016.

The most recent draft was discussed at a high-level meeting of the Communist Party’s Fatherland Front on 17 August, and circulated to certain religious communities for comment. An examination of the draft law that was published on the National Assembly website shows that the 9-chapter draft law contains some improvements, but also continues to place unacceptable restrictions on the right to freedom of religion or belief and other human rights. Specifically, basic guarantees of the right to freedom of religion or belief continue to be undermined by onerous registration requirements and excessive state interference in religious organizations’ internal affairs. Indeed, this and the previous versions of the law inherit from previous rules and regulations this emphasis on government control and management of religious life which is contrary to the spirit and principle of the right to freedom of religion or belief.

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Five of the six largest Asean economies see growing sales to U.S.
Thu the 5th Waxing Moon of Assayuja B.E.2560, October 6, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
Courtesy Bloomberg, by David Roman, October 5, 2016

After years of looking to China as a source of growth, Southeast Asian countries are turning their attention back to the world’s largest economy on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. Exports to the U.S. from all but one of the six largest economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations increased in the first quarter from a year earlier, according to the most recent data from the International Monetary Fund. Shipments to China declined in four of the countries in the same period.

After years of looking to China as a source of growth, Southeast Asian countries are turning their attention back to the world’s largest economy on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.
Exports to the U.S. from all but one of the six largest economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations increased in the first quarter from a year earlier, according to the most recent data from the International Monetary Fund. Shipments to China declined in four of the countries in the same period. Read More→

FILE – Jordan’s Prince Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, pauses during a news conference at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva, Oct. 16, 2014.

UN Official Calls for Security Council Veto Limit to Halt Syrian Bloodbath

Tue the 12th Waning Moon of Poṭṭhapāda B.E.2560, September 28, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
Courtesy VOA
Geneva – The United Nations’ top human rights official has called for limits on the use of the veto power by the U.N. Security Council’s five permanent members to halt the tragedy unfolding in east Aleppo in northern Syria.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein has called the situation nothing short of calamitous and likened the horrors being inflicted on the citizens of Aleppo to those that occurred in cities such as Warsaw, Stalingrad and Dresden in World War II. Read More→

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Cambodia

Wed the 12th Waning Moon of Poṭṭhapāda B.E.2560, September 28, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey

Over the past year, Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) have significantly escalated their targeting of Cambodia’s political opposition, human rights defenders, social activists, and public intellectuals. They appear intent on eliminating all opposition and independent voices and undoing most of what has been accomplished in Cambodia since the Paris Peace Agreements were signed 25 years ago.

Hun Sen and other government officials rely on the CPP-controlled judiciary to imprison peaceful critics, while the security forces threaten, intimidate and assault those deemed to be government opponents. These abuses appear aimed at ensuring a CPP victory in local and national elections scheduled for 2017 and 2018, thereby safeguarding CPP power and the economic interests of its leadership.

The Paris Agreements committed Cambodia “to ensure respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms” in the country and “to support the right of all Cambodian citizens to undertake activities that would promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms.”  They committed the 18 other signatories – including all P-5 members, Japan, Australia, and most members of ASEAN — “to promote and encourage respect for and observance of human rights… to prevent the recurrence of human rights abuses.”

We call upon Cambodia, the Human Rights Council, the Paris signatories, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Rapporteur on Cambodia to take urgent action to fulfill these commitments. All politically motivated criminal charges and convictions should be dropped or overturned, including those against opposition leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha, other members of parliament, staff of the internationally respected human rights organization ADHOC, and the Boeung Kak land rights activists. The recent assassination of political commentator Kem Ley – yet another in a long line of political killings – is yet another reminder of how fragile the situation is and the need for concerted international efforts to avoid Cambodia reverting to a one-party state where bullets are more important than ballots.

In her report to this Session, the Special Rapporteur recommends that the government review outstanding recommendations by the Special Rapporteur, treaty bodies and states. We support this and would ask the Special Rapporteur: what is your assessment of the status of implementation of your recommendations? We would also encourage the Special Rapporteur to address, in her next report, the implementation of recom­mendations by Cambodia of various UN bodies and to identify benchmarks for progress.

“Vietnam’s relentless persecution of government critics using repressive laws and kangaroo courts shows that compliance with the country’s international human rights obligations ranks at the bottom of Hanoi’s priorities.” Dimitris Christopoulos, FIDH President.

Thu the 6th Waning Moon of Poṭṭhapāda B.E.2560, September 22, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
(Paris) Vietnam must end the ongoing repression of peaceful dissent, repeal its repressive laws, and immediately release all political prisoners, FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights) and its member organization Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR) said today. FIDH and VCHR’s call followed the imprisonment of three government critics in three days.

Today, the People’s Supreme Court in Hanoi upheld a lower court’s conviction of blogger Nguyen Huu Vinh and his assistant Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy for “abusing democratic freedoms to harm the interests of the State” under Article 258 of the Criminal Code and sentenced them to five and three years in prison respectively. The trial was held behind closed doors. In addition, Vinh’s wife, Le Thi Minh Ha, has not been allowed to visit him in prison for the past five months.

Nguyen Huu Vinh and Nguyen Thi Minh Thuy were arrested on 5 May 2014 and accused of “publishing online articles with bad contents and misleading information to lower the prestige and create public distrust of government offices, social organizations, and citizens.” On 23 March 2016, a People’s Court in Hanoi sentenced the two to five and three years in prison respectively.

On 20 September 2016, the Dong Da District Court in Hanoi sentenced land rights activist Can Thi Theu, 54, to 20 months in prison on charges of causing public disorder under Article 245 of the Criminal Code. Theu was arrested on 10 June 2016 for leading protests against land confiscation outside various government offices in Hanoi. Police beat and detained several activists and family members who attempted to attend the trial.

Vietnamese authorities have repeatedly used legislation inconsistent with Vietnam’s obligations under international law to suppress the right to freedom of opinion and expression and to detain government critics.

Vietnam holds about 130 political prisoners – the largest number among Southeast Asian countries.

Press contacts
FIDH: Mr. Arthur Manet (French, English, Spanish) – Tel: +33672284294 (Paris)
FIDH: Mr. Andrea Giorgetta (English) – Tel: +66886117722 (Bangkok)
VCHR: Ms. Penelope Faulkner (Vietnamese, English, French) – Tel: +33611898681 (Paris)

Fri the 15th Waxing Moon of Poṭṭhapāda B.E.2560, September 16, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey

Role and achievements of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in assisting the Government and people of Cambodia in the promotion and protection of human rights
Download Report in English PDF: ohchr-cambodia_2016

Thu the 14th Waxing Moon of Poṭṭhapāda B.E.2560, September 15, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey

Geneva (13 September 2016) – “Human rights violations will not disappear if a government blocks access to international observers,” the High Commissioner for Human Rights said in his opening statement at the 33rd session of the Human Rights Council. “On the contrary, efforts to duck or refuse legitimate scrutiny raise an obvious question: what, precisely, are you hiding from us?” Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein discussed the mistaken notion that pressing for human rights is a violation of State sovereignty; rather, he claims, monitoring activities and advocacy are “intended to help better protect the people of your countries.”

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Ambassador Keith Harper, U.S. Representative to the Human Rights Council, spoke for a group of 39 countries to deliver a joint statement expressing concern about the human rights situation in Cambodia. The statement calls for a full investigation into the recent murder of Kem Ley, and expresses concern about the escalation of political tensions in Cambodia and the threat to activites by civil society and opposition parties.

Wed the 13th Waxing Moon of Poṭṭhapāda B.E.2560, September 14, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey

សេចក្តីថ្លែងការណ៍រួម ស្តីពីសន្តិសុខសម្រាប់ប្រជាពលរដ្ឋ
Wed the 13th Waxing Moon of Poṭṭhapāda B.E.2560, September 14, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey

សេចក្តីប្រកាសរួមស្តីពីស្ថានភាពសិទ្ធិមនុស្សនៅកម្ពុជា
Joint Statement on Human Rights Situation in Cambodia
មានពីរភាសា ខ្មែរ និង អង់គ្លេស

Wed the 13th Waxing Moon of Poṭṭhapāda B.E.2560, September 14, A.D.2016 Year of the Monkey
Courtesy U.S. Embassy to Cambodia

ថ្លែងដោយលោកឯកអគ្គរដ្ឋទូត Keith Harper តំណាងសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិកប្រចាំនៅក្រុមប្រឹក្សាសិទ្ធិមនុស្សរបស់អង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិ

ជូនចំពោះលោកប្រធាន

លោកឯកអគ្គរដ្ឋទូត Keith Harper តំណាងសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិកប្រចាំនៅក្រុមប្រឹក្សាសិទ្ធិមនុស្សរបស់អង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិ Ambassador Keith Harper, Representative of the United States to the United Nations Human Rights Council

ខ្ញុំមានកិត្តិយសសូមអានសេចក្តីប្រកាសនេះ តាងនាមអោយរដ្ឋចំនួន ៣៦ ដែលរួមមានប្រទេសអាល់បានី អូស្រ្តាលី ជប៉ុន កាណាដា ម៉ាសេដូនី ណ័រវ៉េ ស្វីស ប្រទេសចំនួន ២៨ ជាសមាជិកនៃសហភាពអឺរ៉ុប និងសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក។
យើងកត់សំគាល់ឃើញការប្តេជ្ញាចិត្តរបស់ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា នៅក្នុងរដ្ឋធម្មនុញ្ញរបស់ខ្លួន ក្នុងការរក្សា និងការពារ “របបលទ្ធិប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ សេរី ពហុបក្ស ដែលធានាសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស និងការគោរពច្បាប់”។ យើងទទួលស្គាល់ ប្រវត្តិនៃប្រទេសកម្ពុជាក្នុងការធ្វើសហប្រតិបត្តិការជាមួយយន្តការនៃអង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិ និងកាតព្វកិច្ច និងការប្តេជ្ញាចិត្តជាអន្តរជាតិរបស់ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាចំពោះសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស ដូចដែលត្រូវបានស្តែងអោយឃើញតាមរយៈការគាំទ្ររបស់ខ្លួនចំពោះការបង្កើតការិយាល័យនៃឧត្តមស្នងការសិទ្ធិមនុស្សរបស់អង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិ នៅកម្ពុជា និងតាមរយៈការអោយសច្ចាប័នរបស់កម្ពុជាលើអនុសញ្ញាអន្តរជាតិមួយចំនួនស្តីពីសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស។ យើងសូមអំពាវនាវអោយរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាបន្តអនុស្សារណៈនៃការយោគយល់ជាមួយការិយាល័យនៃឧត្តមស្នងការសិទ្ធិមនុស្សរបស់អង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិ។ យើងទទួលស្គាល់ផងដែរនូវជំហានដែលប្រទេសកម្ពុជាបានប្រកាន់យក ក្នុងការផ្តួចផ្តើមអោយមានកំណែទំរង់លើគណកម្មាធិការជាតិរៀបចំការបោះឆ្នោត និតិវិធីក្នុងការបោះឆ្នោត និងការចុះឈ្មោះអ្នកបោះឆ្នោត ដែលជាការឆ្លើយតបនឹងកង្វល់ជាទូទៅរបស់ពលរដ្ឋទាក់ទងនឹងការបោះឆ្នោតឆ្នាំ ២០១៣។

ទោះបីជាមានជំហានវិជ្ជមានទាំងនេះក្តី ក៏យើងនៅកត់សំគាល់ឃើញពីកង្វល់សំដែងដោយអ្នករាយការណ៍ពិសេសរបស់អង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិ នៅក្នុងឆ្នាំនេះ ស្តីពីឧបសគ្គថ្មីៗចំពោះសិទ្ធិក្នុងការសំដែងមតិ សិទ្ធិក្នុងការធ្វើការប្រមូលផ្តុំគ្នាដោយសន្តិភាព និងសិទ្ធិក្នុងការចូលរួមគ្នាជាក្រុម សមាគម។ យើងគាំទ្រការអំពាវនាវរបស់ពួកគេដែលសុំអោយអាជ្ញាធរកម្ពុជា “ធានាអោយមានបរិយាកាសមានភាពអនុគ្រោះ និងប្រកបដោយសុវត្ថិភាពសំរាប់សង្គមស៊ីវិល និងអ្នកការពារសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស ដែលមានតួនាទីយ៉ាងសំខាន់ក្នុងការចាប់អោយរដ្ឋាភិបាលមានការទទួលខុសត្រូវ ហើយនាំមកនូវផលប្រយោជន៍នៃសិទ្ធិមនុស្សដល់សង្គមកម្ពុជាទាំងមូល”។ យើងនិងលោកអគ្គលេខាធិការមានបំណងដូចគ្នាក្នុងការចង់អោយរដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាបន្តឡើងវិញនូវការសន្ទនានយោបាយ ហើយ “ធានាអោយមានការគោរពយ៉ាងពេញលេញចំពោះសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស រួមទាំងសេរីភាពនៃការបញ្ចេញមតិ សេរីភាពនៃការចងក្រងគ្នាជាក្រុម ជាសមាគម និងសេរីភាពក្នុងការប្រមូលផ្តុំគ្នា”។

យើងមានកង្វល់យ៉ាងជ្រាលជ្រៅចំពោះការកើនឡើងនៅពេលនេះនៃភាពតានតឹងនយោបាយ នៅកម្ពុជា ដែលជាការគំរាមកំហែងដល់សកម្មភាពស្របច្បាប់របស់គណបក្សប្រឆាំង និងអង្គការមិនមែនរដ្ឋាភិបាលដែលធ្វើការផ្នែកសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស។ យើងមានកង្វល់ជាពិសេសដោយមើលឃើញថា មានការប្តឹងទៅតុលាការដោយមិនទំនង ប្រឆាំងនឹងអ្នករិះគន់រដ្ឋាភិបាល។ យើងមានកង្វល់ដូចគ្នានេះផងដែរពីស្ថានភាពនៃ “វប្បធម៌សន្ទនា” រវាងគណបក្សនយោបាយធំជាងគេទាំងពីរ ដែលឈប់មានដំណើរទៅមុខ។ យើងសោកស្តាយចំពោះការធ្វើឃាតក្នុងពេលថ្មីៗនេះលើរូបលោកកែម ឡី ដែលជាអ្នកធ្វើអត្ថាធិប្បាយ និងជាអ្នកវិភាគម្នាក់ ហើយកត់សំគាល់ឃើញនូវការដែលបទឧក្រិដ្ឋនេះនាំអោយសង្គមស៊ីវិល និងសំលេងឯករាជ្យនៅកម្ពុជាមានការភ័យខ្លាច។

យើងសូមអំពាវនាវអោយមានការស៊ើបអង្កេតពេញលេញ និងដោយតំលាភាព ចំពោះការស្លាប់របស់លោកកែម ឡី។ ជារួម យើងសូមអំពាវនាវអោយអ្នកពាក់ព័ន្ធទាំងអស់ធ្វើការដើម្បីបន្ថយការកើនឡើងនៃភាពតានតឹងហើយបង្កើនការទុកចិត្តគ្នា។ យើងសូមអំពាវនាវអោយរដ្ឋាភិបាលខិតខំជាអតិប្បរិមា ដើម្បីបង្កើតអោយមានបរិយាកាសនយោបាយមួយ ដែលក្នុងនោះ គណបក្សប្រឆាំង និងសង្គមស៊ីវិលអាចធ្វើសកម្មភាពបានដោយសេរី។ យើងសូមអំពាវនាវផងដែរ អោយប្រទេសកម្ពុជាគោរពតាមការប្តេជ្ញាចិត្តរបស់ខ្លួនចំពោះប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា និងសហគមន៍អន្តរជាតិ ក្នុងការធ្វើការបោះឆ្នោតដោយសេរី និងយុត្តិធម៌ ដែលនឹងធានាភាពស្របច្បាប់នៃរដ្ឋាភិបាលក្រោយ។ យើងត្រៀមជាស្រេចក្នុងការជួយប្រទេស និងប្រជាជនកម្ពុជា ក្នុងការដោះស្រាយកង្វល់ទាំងនេះ តាមលក្ខណៈស្របតាមច្បាប់អន្តរជាតិស្តីពីសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស។

* ប្រទេសអ៊ុយក្រែន និងប្រទេស Liechtenstein បានគាំទ្រសេចក្តីប្រកាសនេះ បន្ទាប់ពីត្រូវបានថ្លែងចប់។

Delivered by Ambassador Keith Harper, Representative of the United States to the United Nations Human Rights Council

Mr. President,

I have the honor to read this statement on behalf of a group of 36 states including: Albania, Australia, Canada, Japan, Macedonia, Norway, Switzerland, the 28 EU member states, and the United States.
We note Cambodia’s commitment in its constitution to preserve and defend “a multi-party liberal democratic regime guaranteeing human rights and the respect of law.” We recognize Cambodia’s history of cooperation with UN mechanisms and its international human rights commitments and obligations, as demonstrated by its support of the establishment of an OHCHR office in the country and by the ratification of a number of international human rights conventions. We encourage the Cambodian Government to renew its Memorandum of Understanding with OHCHR. We also recognize the steps taken by Cambodia, in response to widespread citizen concerns about the 2013 elections, to initiate reforms of the National Election Committee, voter registry and elections procedures.

Despite these positive steps, we note the concerns expressed by several Special Rapporteurs earlier this year about new impediments to the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, the right to peaceful assembly, and the right to freedom of association. We support their call on Cambodian authorities “to ensure a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders and civil society, which play a critical role in holding the Government to account and bringing benefits of human rights to the whole of Cambodian society.” We also share the Secretary-General’s desire for the Government of Cambodia to resume political dialogue and to “ensure full respect for human rights, including the freedoms of expression, association, and assembly.”

We are deeply concerned about the current escalation of political tensions in Cambodia, which threatens legitimate activities by opposition parties and human rights NGOs. There is particular concern about the appearance that legal action is being disproportionately pursued against critics of the government. We are equally concerned about the status of “culture of dialogue” between the two main political parties, which has ceased to function. We lament the recent murder of commentator and analyst Kem Ley and note the chilling effect this crime has had upon civil society and independent voices in Cambodia.

We call for a full and transparent investigation into Mr. Ley’s death. More broadly, we call on all the relevant stakeholders to work toward deescalating the tensions and building trust and confidence. We also urge the government to make their utmost efforts to create a political environment in which opposition parties and civil society can all function freely. We also call upon Cambodia to uphold its commitments to the Cambodian people and to the international community to conduct free and fair elections which would ensure the legitimacy of the next government. We stand ready to assist Cambodia and its people to address these concerns in a way that is consistent with international human rights law.

* Ukraine and Liechtenstein supported this statement after delivery.