2-7-2024 (PHNOM PENH) In a move that has drawn widespread condemnation and raised concerns over the state of freedom of expression in Cambodia, a court has handed down harsh prison sentences to 10 activists of the environmental group Mother Nature. The activists, who have been vocal critics of the government’s policies and alleged environmental mismanagement, were convicted on charges of plotting against the government and insulting the monarch.
The verdict, delivered on Tuesday (Jul 2), comes amid growing apprehensions about the shrinking space for dissent and civil society activism in Cambodia under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet, who assumed power last year following the decades-long rule of his father, Hun Sen.
The court’s decision has sparked outrage and protests, with five of the defendants being arrested immediately after the verdict was announced, as supporters clad in white gathered outside the court in Phnom Penh, holding placards that read, “Justice is Dead.”
The group’s lawyer, Sam Chomreun, confirmed the sentences for the 10 activists, highlighting the severity of the crackdown on environmental advocacy and freedom of expression in the Southeast Asian nation.
Alejandro Gonzales-Davidson, the founder of Mother Nature, who was sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison after being deported from Cambodia nearly a decade ago, expressed his dismay at the court’s decision. “This regime is not only disconnected from reality, it has also shown us how inhumane and cruel it can be towards those who dare to stand up for what is right,” he said, vowing that the sacrifices made by the activists would not be in vain and would instead inspire a new generation of advocates.
Gonzales-Davidson, a Spanish national, revealed that three activists, including himself, were found guilty of infringing Cambodia’s lese majeste law, which prohibits insulting the monarch, and received eight-year prison terms. The remaining seven activists were handed six-year jail terms for allegedly plotting against the government, although the specifics of these accusations were not clarified in court.
According to Gonzales-Davidson, three members of Mother Nature were arrested after documenting suspected pollution run-off into the Tonle Sap River in Phnom Penh, the capital, in 2021. The lese majeste charges, on the other hand, stemmed from an internal Zoom meeting about political cartooning that was leaked.
Despite repeated denials from the government that the trial was politically motivated, claiming that it only prosecutes those who commit crimes and not critics, human rights organizations have decried the court’s decision as a blatant attempt to silence dissent and stifle environmental activism.
In a statement issued before the verdict, Human Rights Watch warned that Hun Manet, much like his father, appeared intent on muzzling criticism of the government, further eroding the already fragile state of civil liberties in Cambodia.
Under the iron-fisted rule of Hun Sen, the opposition was systematically dismantled, independent media outlets were shuttered, and dozens of activists were imprisoned, casting a long shadow over the country’s democratic aspirations.
