Statement by Lorne Craner,
President of the International Republican Institute

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2, 2006

"Saturday's arrest of Kem Sokha, President of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights, and Yeng Virak, Director of the Community Legal Education Center, is a step backwards for democracy and human rights in Cambodia. Such actions to restrict and punish freedom of expression are inexcusable for a government that claims to be democratic.

"These arrests are another example of the deteriorating human rights situation inside Cambodia under the repressive rule of the Hun Sen government. In the past year, several critics of the government have been jailed or forced to flee the country including Mom Sonando, operator of one of the few remaining independent radio stations; Cheam Channy, member of parliament; and Sam Rainsy, leader of the opposition party in parliament.

"Asian counties have increasingly shown themselves to be concerned with the situation in Burma; now is a time when they should be concerned with the deteriorating situation in Cambodia. The international community must make it clear to Hun Sen that this action and such human rights abuses cannot continue. He must release all political prisoners and allow his fellow citizens to live in a free, democratic Cambodia."

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Related Links:

CCHR Report on the Arrests of Kem Sokha and Yeng Virak
January 2, 2006

Learn more about Kem Sokha and his arrest

Statements from other organizations:

Statement of Yeng Virak
January 13, 2006

World Bank Statement on Cambodia
January 9, 2006

Cambodia: U.S. Deeply Concerned by Arrests of Activists and Opposition Leaders, U.S. State Department Statement
January 6, 2006

Cambodia: Hun Sen Systematically Silences Critics, Human Rights Watch Statement
January 4, 2006

The High Commissioner for Human Rights expresses deep regret over the arrests of human rights activists Kem Sokha and Yeng Virak, United Nations Statement
January 4, 2006

Stop the persecution of Cambodian democrats, Alliance for Reform and Democracy in Asia Statement
January 3, 2006

Related news articles:

Cambodia frees 4 government critics from prison,
USA Today, January 17, 2005

Cambodia progress slips
The Washington Times, January 13, 2006

Cambodian Leader Cracks Down in Bid to Solidify Power,
The New York Times, January 9, 2006

Future of democracy under pressure in Cambodia
Financial Times, January 9, 2006

Don't Forget Cambodia
The Wall Street Journal, January 5, 2006

Third Cambodian rights activist charged with defaming PM Hun Sen
Agence France Presse, January 5, 2006

Another rights activist arrested in Cambodia, two more briefly detained
Agence France Presse, January 4, 2006

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