”カンボジアの縫製工場で起こった“労働者への弾圧”　国際人権団体が「株式会社アシックス」に対応を要請,” 2 August 2024

“Unofficial Japanese-to-English translation by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre”

...the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), an international organisation that aims to defend workers' rights in the apparel and other industries, sent a written request to ASICS Corporation, which manufactures and sells athletic shoes and other products, demanding that it respond appropriately to an incident of violation of workers' rights at a sewing factory in Cambodia.

Crackdown on trade union chairperson

... Wing Star Shoes (WSS), a Cambodian limited company... is a production supplier for ASICS.

In January 2024,... a trade union was formed. Chea Chan, a worker at the factory, was elected as a leader....

The WSS... filed a criminal complaint against Chan for "conspiracy" to commit theft. On the other hand, no charges were filed against the workers who allegedly carried out the theft.

Local police assaulted Chan at the factory and arrested him without a warrant...

"Corrupt" Cambodian justice system

The WRC criticised the criminal complaint by the WSS for targeting Chan in order to sabotage his union activities, as there was little credible testimony or evidence, and no charges were brought against the perpetrators or other witnesses...

Written request

...The WRC also requested ASICS to take responsibility for the violations of the right to organise and the repression against Chan that took place at the WSS factory, as follows.

• Clarify in writing the specific actions ASICS has taken so far in relation to this case
• Request WSS to drop the charges against Chan based on the investigation of the facts
• Work with the WRC to lobby the WSS to release Chan from custody and reinstate him at the earliest opportunity.
• Ensure that ASICS directly compensates Chan and his trade union for the damage caused by the criminal repression
• Demand that WSS cease violations of the right to organise, recognise the trade union, and begin collective bargaining. Warn that if WSS does not comply with the demand, ASICS will take measures such as suspending trade...