"PM Hun Sen Calls for Reinstatement of CCFC", 19 June 2023

Prime Minister Hun Sen called for the reinstatement of the Coalition of Cambodian Farmers Community (CCFC) and for criminal charges against three of its members to be dropped, after the Interior Ministry temporarily suspended the group earlier…

“We have seen the benefits the association has done, so I encourage the association to continue its activity for our people’s benefit,” Hun Sen wrote on Telegram on Saturday after meeting with CCFC president Thang Savoeun and two other members. “The association has to pay more attention to the protection of workers in the agriculture sector.”

…, police detained and questioned 17 people who were attending a CCFC workshop in Ratanakiri. Savoeun and his colleagues Nhel Pheap and Than Hach were arrested soon after on plotting and incitement charges. Interior Ministry spokesperson Khieu Sopheak accused CCFC members of plotting a “peasant revolution.”

The prime minister instructed Justice Minister Keut Rith to work with the Ratanakiri provincial court to clear the charges, and to allow the group to restore its activities as soon as possible, he said in the message.

Savoeun told … that his meeting with the prime minister was focused on continuing the cooperation between the association and government. He told the prime minister that no CCFC donors have ordered the group to “provoke incitement,” Savoeun said…

CCFC plans to have additional meetings with their executive team once the court officially drops all of the charges against Savoeun and the two other staff members.

“[CCFC] will change some structures of the association’s leadership,” Ratana said…