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UPDATE: The women and children who were arrested during a peaceful protest escaped the detention facility on 18 January!
DO SOMETHING: Thirty women and children arrested on January 11 during a peaceful protest are now at risk of human rights violations and abuses!
From now until 5 April 2012, send a letter to urge the Cambodia authorities to express your concern for the protesters and immediately release them.
What’s the latest update?
Out of the detainees, three women were released on 16 January 2012 and one on the following day after they accepted land at resettlement sites. The remaining women and children escaped by climbing the fences around the centre during a visit by two opposition members of the parliament.
As for the eight people who were arrested during the forced eviction (see below), they were held in pre-trial detention on charges of acts of violence and obstruction of public officials. One was released on bail on 18 January. The remaining seven, including two 17-year-old boys, were released on bail on 17 and 18 February.
What happened?
Forced eviction site of Borei Keila area of Phnom Penh, Cambodia. ©LICADHO
Twenty-six women and six children were arrested on January 11 2012 during a peaceful protest against the detention of eight people arrested during the forced eviction of Borei Keila area of Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 3 January 2012. They are being detained arbitrarily and taken to Prey Speu Social Affairs Center in Phnom Penh. They are risk of human rights violation and subjected to abuses. Human rights NGOs have previously reported that detainees there have been subjected to abuses including rape, murder, and threats of violence. No human rights monitors have been able to visit the 30 women and children in the Center.
Borei Keila has been the home for a large poor urban community for many years. But on January 3 the homes of around 300 families were destroyed by workers from a construction company. Clashes broke out and security forces used tear gas and rubber bullet injuring more than sixty-four people. At least eight of the residents were arrested and remain in detention, though, charges are not known. On January 11, a group of evictees protesting peacefully against that unlawful detention and excessive use of force and those 30 women and children were arrested amidst that protest.
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Send a letter to the Minister of Interior and Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia by adding your name below! We will deliver all the letters to the authorities by post or by email with your details appearing as below.
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| Add your name NOW!
Your Excellency, I am writing to express my concern for the human rights violations that have arisen from the forced eviction of Borei Keila, Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 3 January 2012. Therefore, I am writing to urge you to:
Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, [Your full name] |
