The Khmer Students Intelligent League Association (KSILA) is raising funds from philanthropists to help their president Koet Saray, who was detained for the second time after visiting villagers in a land dispute in Srayong commune, Kulen district, Preah Vihear province.
Koet Yi, 35, sister of Koet Saray, told CamboJA that she visited her brother following his detention and plans to visit him again next week. However, she lacked funds traveling back and forth to Preah Vihear to visit Saray who is suffering in the prison due to the hot season.
Yi opined that the arrest of her brother for the second time was an attempt to discourage other activists from expressing their views and serving the public.
Recall that Saray was charged for incitement and sentenced to 20 months in jail with 10 others in October 2021 for participating in a peaceful protest in support of then-jailed unionist Rong Chhun.
“I don’t think he is at fault, [he] was just telling the truth to protect the people,” Yi said. “[The arrests] are intended to demoralize the next generation.”
What Sarai did was not for the benefit of any political party or groups, but for the public, she asserted.
“I know my brother very well, he did it from his heart, not for anyone’s benefit. I ask the court to drop the charges against my brother.”
Yi added that the expenditure for Saray in the prison has doubled due to high costs and the family could not afford it, so she launched a public fundraising campaign.
Saray was arrested on April 5 and charged for incitement after meeting Srayong commune residents who were embroiled in a long-disputed land in Kulen district. In March, 25 out of 36 people were arrested and charged for allegedly “clearing and occupying forest land”. Recently, they were released on bail after investigations found that they were allegedly cheated by land brokers.
Some 50 civil society groups and unions have called for Saray’s release, who is currently under pre-trial detention.
Yim Leanghy, an environmental activist, told CamboJA that Saray’s condition in prison has become difficult as he required large sums of money to buy supplies and food as he could not eat the meals in the prison.
Saray’s second imprisonment has affected his family again as he was the sole breadwinner. The donations from philanthropists would help ease some of the household finances but the funds raised so far were small.
Meanwhile, UN Human Rights experts urged Cambodia to end all acts of harassment and prosecution against human rights defenders and civil society activists, and let them freely exercise their civil and political rights.
The statement, which highlighted recent arrests related to civic work, mentioned Saray’s detention, which was linked to his exercising his right to freedom of expression.
“We’re seeing practices that clearly violate the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, guaranteed in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR),” the experts said. “This will undoubtedly continue to have a chilling effect on the human rights work in the country and may further deter many from engaging in human rights issues.”
Following the experts’ statement, the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the UN Office in Geneva expressed “deep disappointment” on the allegations of harassment and persecution.
The mission also denied allegations that Cambodia “violated the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly as guaranteed in the ICCPR”.
The allegations were “erroneous and in complete disregard to the reality of civic space in the country”, the mission said, adding that Saray was arrested and charged for his “criminal misconduct, not for his affiliation with any organization”.
On April 21, government spokesperson Pen Bona wrote on his Facebook page that in Cambodia, some human rights defenders allegedly never spoke about the limits and responsibilities in the constitution and the ICCPR. They only talk about the rights and freedoms without boundaries, he said.
“In order to uphold the values of democracy and the rule of law, as well as to promote moral freedom of expression and respect for each other’s rights with dignity, human rights workers must have the courage to take responsibility for their comment as defined by the national law and international conventions in a comprehensive manner.”
Meanwhile, environmental activist Leanghy believes that Saray’s arrest does only suppress his freedom, but paints a picture that the authority may not want the public to concern itself about social issues.
“Saray’s detention is indeed a restriction on the freedom of expression. Allegations of giving fake information in interviews with [online media] VOD and RFA are a form of intimidation that prevents other citizens from giving interviews to media outlets,” Leanghy said.
He added that Saray’s KSILA is an independent association, with no affiliation with any political party or receiving any funds from them. Its main purpose is to highlight issues of communities under legal threat and obtain a solution from the government.
Am Sam Ath, operations director of LICADHO, told CamboJA that it was better to look at the issues and find ways to improve the situation instead of denying the statements made in relation to human rights cases.
“I think the UN experts see Cambodia as [a place] where the exercise of fundamental freedoms is restricted.”
In Saray’s case, Sam Ath said he was protecting the interests of the people, human rights and the environment but was arrested instead. The UN experts’ evaluation was based on international human rights standards, including those which Cambodia ratified and has enshrined in the constitution.
“Therefore, Cambodia has a duty to respect the fundamental freedoms or human rights,” Sam Ath said.
