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Early in 2004, USAID/Cambodia began planning an assessment of corruption in Cambodia. The Statement of Work noted the unfortunate reality that corruption has become part of everyday life in Cambodia, that in fact it has reached “pandemic” proportions. USAID/Cambodia requested an assessment focused around several topical areas. For example: What are the prevailing forms of corruption? Is the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) taking useful steps? Who are the winners and losers? What are the roles of civil society, the media and private business? The Assessment Team was also invited to recommend activities that offer a reasonable chance of success in increasing Royal Cambodian Government (RGC) transparency and accountability, while beginning to reduce systemic corruption. USAID recruited a three-member team to undertake the assessment.

Cambodia’s prison population is in the midst of an unprecedented population boom. Just six years ago, the 18 prisons monitored by LICADHO were at roughly 100% of their collective capacity1. Since then, the population has exploded, growing at an average rate of 14% per year. Prison capacity has also increased, but not nearly enough to keep pace with growth. The General Department of Prisons (GDP) reported in March 2010 that the entire prison system held 13,325 inmates – 167% of the system’s 8,000-inmate capacity. The 18 prisons LICADHO monitors, meanwhile, were filled to 175% of capacity as of June 2010. As of December 2009, one third of all Cambodian prisoners – over 4,000 – were in pretrial status.

This account is by no means a comprehensive examination of all of the attacks and threats against human rights defenders in Cambodia in the last two years, as many instances go unreported. Instead the report aims to provide a concise overview of the human rights abuses that LICADHO observed and investigated in 2008 and 2009. It also serves as a reference tool to address the attacks and threats against human rights defenders, and raise awareness about the state of human rights in Cambodia since 2007.

Cambodia is a dangerous place for human rights defenders. During 2007, the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) recorded more cases than ever before of threats and attacks against activists attempting to peacefully defend the rights of others.

Throughout 2007, the patterns of threats and attacks against human rights defenders observed in previous years have continued and intensified. Representatives of communities engaged in disputes over land and housing were targeted with threats, unwarranted criminal charges, and in some cases imprisonment. Trade union leaders were assaulted, arrested and prosecuted for their legitimate union activity; one such leader was murdered. Human rights NGO workers continued to be threatened and obstructed in carrying out their work, whilst private citizens legitimately assisting asylum seekers were harassed and imprisoned.

Civil societies are not only shaped by the legal and regulatory frameworks, but by the economic, political, cultural, religious and social environments in which they operate. A full assessment of the environment in which civil societies operate would examine all these dimensions – economic, political, cultural, religious and social – in an effort to promote understanding of the potential and success of civil society. This report focuses on the legal, regulatory, and policy environment in which civil society organisations (CSOs) operate, as this is key to their ability to register, operate, access resources, and effectively engage in advocacy, all of which in turn contributes to civil society’s ability to flourish and be successful.