The situation of human rights defenders in Cambodia in 2014

This briefing note assesses the situation of human rights defenders (HRD) in Cambodia in 2014, including restrictions on freedom of assembly and expression and other forms of harassment. The first section outlines the legal framework for the protection of HRDs at the international, regional and national levels, and highlights the obligations on the Cambodian Government to protect HRDs. The next section profiles the trends and patterns that emerged in 2014, including case studies on the excessive use of force by security forces, the blanket ban on protests, arbitrary arrests of protesters and the practice of pressuring activists to sign written statements agreeing not to engage in further protests. The last section offers conclusions and recommendations.