Cambodian authorities ban Human Rights Day march

PHNOM PENH: Cambodian demonstrators gathered outside the centre of Phnom Penh to commemorate International Human Rights Day after authorities prohibited a march through the capital’s streets, a local rights organisation said.

Hundreds of people sang and made speeches demanding respect for human rights despite a “massive security force deployment” and being forced to gather away from the eyes of the general public, local rights group Licadho said in a statement yesterday.

Authorities last week denied a request by organisers to march through Phnom Penh, instead authorising the demonstrators to gather in Freedom Park, about 4km north of the capital’s centre, Licadho’s director Naly Pilorge said.

“The government decided to make International Human Rights Day an official holiday, so why aren’t people allowed to celebrate?” Pilorge said, adding that demonstrators were outnumbered by security forces.

Yesterday marked the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and was also a public holiday in Cambodia.

City Hall spokesman Met Measpheakdey said yesterday that demonstrators were allowed to celebrate the anniversary, but were not allowed to march due to concerns about security and public order.

“We arranged it for people to express their opinion,” he added.

The demonstration followed a statement last week from the government, which has been led for over 30 years by the ruling party of Prime Minister Hun Sen, that it intended to “strengthen democracy” and “improve the political climate”.

Cambodia's main opposition party was outlawed at the government's request last year and was prevented from participating in elections swept by the ruling party in July.