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2 February  2012

Cambodia -  Human rights defender Mr San Samneang summoned and interrogated in relation to fabricated charges

On 30 January 2012, human rights defender Mr San Samneang appeared before Battambang Court on charges of Intentional Damage and Intentional Violence. San Samnaeng is a land rights activist from Banteay Meanchey province and is affiliated with the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, a non-governmental organisation which works to empower local communities through human rights education.

On 30 January 2012, San Samneang appeared before Battambang Court and was interrogated by the court prosecutor for three hours.  If found guilty of the charge of Intentional Violence, he faces a sentence of between one to three years imprisonment and a fine of up to six million Riels (€1,123). The charge of Intentional Damage carries a possible sentence of between six months to two years  imprisonment and a fine of between one million to four million Riels (between €187 to €750). He strongly denies the charges brought against him.

San Samneang told the court, in the presence of his lawyer, that he was not involved in any violence and that he did not know anything about the charges brought against him. He was shown pictures of a protest that allegedly took place in November 2011. San Samneang did not appear in any of the pictures nor did he know anything about the events in the pictures. The pictures reportedly show the gathering which concerned a land dispute between a local business woman Theth Phary and the local villagers. San Samneang had organised a protest over the land in December 2009 when Theth Phary sent 30 workers along with armed police and military personnel to harvest and collect rice from an area of land in Boueng village which she maintained was hers, while local villagers claimed that the land in question belonged to them. However, San Samneang was not involved in the November 2011 event on which the charges are allegedly based. He was released after the interrogation but may be at risk of being summoned again for further questioning.

The summons, issued to San Samneang on 18 January 2012, contained no information regarding the charges against the human rights defender. It did not refer to the place, time, or nature of the alleged acts nor did it provide any legal basis for the charges. San Samneang  submitted a letter to the court requesting that the interrogation be delayed by ten days in order to allow him time to prepare. However, his requested was denied.

Front Line Defenders believes that the charges against San Samneang are directly related to his work in defence of human rights, in particular his work in protecting the right to land of the  Boueng villagers.

Front Line Defenders urges the authorities in Cambodia to:

1. Immediately drop all charges against San Samneang as it is believed that they are solely motivated by his legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights;
2. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of San Samneang;
3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Cambodia are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.