Kingdom of Cambodia: Diminishing respect for human rights

Throughout 1995 Amnesty International noted a steady deterioration in respect for human rights in the Kingdom of Cambodia. While progress was made in some areas, most notably in the provision of human rights education for military and law enforcement personnel, the Royal Government of Cambodia became increasingly intolerant of political opposition resulting in the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly being gradually undermined over the last two years. In 1995 there was political violence in the capital, Phnom Penh, prisoners of conscience were detained in Cambodia's prisons, newspaper editors were prosecuted for the publication of peaceful criticism of the Royal Government, and prominent government critics were threatened, intimidated, and in one case, arrested. Despite the progress made in human rights education for military and law enforcement personnel, members of the police and armed forces committed human rights violations with impunity, while those responsible for past human rights violations were not brought to justice. Impunity for human rights violators remains a serious human rights problem in Cambodia today. In some cases, in spite of very strong evidence, perpetrators of human rights violations remain at liberty, apparently without fear of prosecution. A second major concern is the conduct of trials in Cambodia's courts, which often fall short of international standards for fair trial. The arrest, detention, exile and trial in absentia of prominent Cambodian politician Prince Norodom Sirivudh raised serious human rights concerns, particularly over the right to a fair trial. In March 1995, Amnesty International issued a report on the human rights situation in Cambodia, and made recommendations to the Royal Government which the organization believed would, if implemented, bring about an improvement in the promotion and protection of human rights. More than a year later, Amnesty International is publishing a new report detailing ongoing violations. The organization notes that while certain incremental improvements have been made since March 1995, the majority of cases of human rights violations brought to the attention of the Royal Government remain unresolved. Amnesty International welcomes the initiatives taken by the Royal Government to date, but again draws the attention of the Royal Government to continuing human rights violations in Cambodia, and in particular to the issue of impunity for human rights violators. An appendix of human rights issues raised by Amnesty International since the Royal Government took office in 1993 is attached to this report. The organization urges the Royal Government of Cambodia to implement the recommendations made by Amnesty International in 1994 and 1995, and also to take all necessary action on the cases raised in this report. Civil war continues in some of Cambodia's provinces, between the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and the armed opposition, the National Army of Democratic Kampuchea (NADK, commonly known as the Khmer Rouge). Amnesty International found evidence of human rights abuses by the NADK in contested areas; the organization condemns these abuses unreservedly. Amnesty International calls upon the NADK to respect the standards of international humanitarian law, and immediately cease its abusive practices against the people of Cambodia. Amnesty International's appeals to the NADK carry no connotation of recognition and are purely humanitarian in nature.