Rong Chhun - Cambodian Confederation of Unions
Fuentes
On 21 July, 2020, the President Cambodian Confederation of Unions Rong Chhun spoke to local media about the loss of livelihood and land for farmers after he made a field visit to the Vietnamese border. He was accused of spreading fake news by the Cambodia Border Committee and later he was arrested by around 30 men in plainclothes without an arrest warrant, on the trumped up charge of “incitement to commit a felony or cause social unrest”. In an interview hours before his arrest, he denied spreading false information about alleged community land loss along the border. Earlier, Rong Chhun picketed with hundreds of workers terminated due to the closure of Violet Apparel. He also called for the release of four members of Cambodian Independent Teachers Association (CITA) namely, Peat Mab, Sun Thun, Chhum Chan and Keo Thay, who were detained for making comments on public health issues during school closures. In 2018, Rong Chhun was sentenced for allegedly instigating violent acts during a minimum wage protest in 2013.