"Urgent appeal -  The Observatory", 22 July 2015

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)...has been informed...about the ongoing judicial harassment against Mr. Ny Chakrya, Head of the Human Rights and Legal Aid Section of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC)...ADHOC monitors human rights violations, provides legal assistance to victims of human rights violations – including victims of land disputes ...[O]n July 19...the Deputy Prosecutor of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court decided to refer Mr. Ny Chakrya’s file on charges of “public defamation”, “acts of slanderous denunciation”, and “publication of commentaries to put pressure on jurisdiction”...to the investigating judge...Mr. Ny Chakrya did not receive any notification from the Deputy Prosecutor, informing him that his complaint and evidence had been submitted to the investigating judge. He found out from the Cambodian press, which the Deputy Prosecutor had informed...upon an inquiry on the progress in Mr. Ny Chakrya’s case. The Observatory strongly condemns the ongoing judicial harassment against Mr. Ny Chakrya, which only aims at sanctioning his legitimate human rights activities. The Observatory calls on the Cambodian authorities to put an end to threats and harassment against human rights defenders in the country.