The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), also known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, was established to hold accountable senior leaders and those most responsible for crimes of the Khmer Rouge regime. As of October authorities had made no visible progress in the investigation, citing Oeuth Ang's refusal to cooperate with police. Noting this as well as other anomalies in the case – including the impoverished assailant's possession of an expensive handgun – many observers believed a third party hired Oeuth Ang. Members of both Kem Ley's family and the alleged killer's family said the two men did not know each other. Police arrested a suspect, later identified as Oeuth Ang, who claimed he killed Kem Ley because of a 12 million riel ($3,000) unpaid debt. On July 10, a gunman killed Kem Ley, an outspoken and popular social and political analyst, at a convenience store in Phnom Penh. There was no substantial progress in the investigation of alleged unlawful killings that occurred in 2014. There were no credible reports the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings during the year. Arbitrary Deprivation of Life and other Unlawful or Politically Motivated Killings
Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom from:Ī. Other human rights problems included continued prisoner abuse, restrictions on press freedom and online expression, failure to grant equal access and fair treatment to asylum seekers, pervasive corruption, and trafficking in persons.Īlthough the government prosecuted some officials who committed abuses, including those involved in cases of corruption, most abuses persisted with impunity. The most significant human rights problems included a politicized and ineffective judiciary increased restrictions on freedoms of speech, assembly, and association and the use of violence and imprisonment – both actual and threatened – to intimidate the political opposition and civil society as well as to suppress dissenting voices. Despite such concerns about the process, the two parties ultimately agreed to abide by the official results and take their seats in parliament.Ĭivilian authorities maintained effective control over the security forces. International and local nongovernmental organization (NGO) observers assessed the election process suffered numerous flaws, including problems with the voter registry, unequal access to media, and the issuance of an unusually large number of temporary official identification cards to voters. In the most recent national election in 2013, the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won by its narrowest margin since 1993, capturing 68 seats, while the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) won 55 seats. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.Ĭambodia is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliamentary form of government. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. United States Department of State, 2016 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - Cambodia, 3 March 2017, available at: