Vol. 11, No. 493, Thursday, 1.2.2007
“Phnom Penh: On 31 January, UNICEF and the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights [LICADHO] voiced concern about the increase of the number of children to about 500, jailed in 12 of the 18 prisons that LICADHO visited, checking their health conditions; at the same time they found that their life is very difficult, because the cells are narrow and crowded, with minors mixed with adult prisoners. The figures and concern by the two non-government organizations were released during a press conference at the office of LICADHO in Phnom Penh.
“Ms. Pung Chiv Kek [also known as Ms. Kek Galabru], the president of LICADHO, said that her organization went to check 18 prisons countrywide. It checked and reported on the number of minors in 12 prisons and found that about 500 minors are in the prisons. She continued, ‘In some prisons in provinces and towns, minors are detained together with adults; this makes us concerned about the health of the minors, and they may be raped by adults in the same cells.’
“Ms. San Dy, a UNICEF official, said that the health conditions of the minors at present in the prisons causes big concern. She went on to say that besides being forced by the police while being investigated, there are many other things happening which violate the rights of the minors in the prisons in Cambodia. She added, ‘We asked the officials of the prisons to put the minors separately from the adults and allow the families to visit them and provide them enough food.’
“Ms. Pung Chiv Kek went on to say that the government provides for each prisoner Riel 1,500 [US$0.36] per day. This amount is not sufficient to buy enough food for the prisoners. According to the medical doctors of LICADHO who went to check the health of those minors, the health of the minors is a real concern. She affirmed, ‘There is no sanitation in the prisons when they are so crowded.’
“According to the report by LICADHO from September 2006, 37 children under six years old live with their mothers in prisons, 22 of them are under one year old. The number was bigger than it was in the previous year [2005] when there were only 22 under six years olds living in prisons. Up to October 2006 there were 452 minor prisoners (aged between 13 and 18). No children under 13 were jailed.
“Ms. Sao Kanha, a lawyer for minors, said that her two defendants – one is 11 and another one is 17 – were released after the court had agreed to a request. She continued that when children under 18 have problems with the judicial system, they face serious difficulties. So far, most children have been accused of offenses and minor crimes, but seldom heavy crimes. She added that police should allow the parents to accompany their children during investigation, to get the answers from the accused children when they are questioned, as they are often forced by the police in order to get something to file documents.
“Ms. Pung Chiv Kek went on to say that LICADHO has cooperated with the government in order to check the health conditions of prisoners under 18. She continued, ‘We ask that the government should establish a Juvenile Court for trying children under 18 separately from adults, if possible.’ An 11-year-old boy from Siem Reap, who was accused of robbery and detained in a police station for one night, said that he was then detained for nearly one month in a prison, together with other 40 minors and adults.
“However, LICADHO did not mention the names of the prisons in particular provinces, besides Prey Sar Prison, but Ms. Pung Chiv Kek affirmed that LICADHO received reports from her working group who went to twelve prisons and wrote reports to the government, to show the conditions of the prisoners, especially the children who are with their parents in the prisons, so that the government should care about them and provide them food and education.” Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #5955, 1.2.2007
Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 1 February 2007
Deum Ampil, Vol.2, #7, 31.1-6.2.2007
- 20 Right-Hand-Drive Cars Smuggled into Cambodia through Sampov Lun Border Crossing, Battambang, While There Is Silence from Om Yentieng [head of the government’s anti-corruption body]
Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.6, #1258, 1.2.2007
- Mr. Khieu Kanharith [Minister of Information] States that Cambodia Has Strong Press Freedom [comparing with the region, Cambodia has 322 newspapers and magazines, 7 TV stations and more than 20 radio stations in Phnom Penh, and 14 journalists’ associations]
- Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association [ADHOC] Annual Report Says There Was Less Political Violence in 2006 Than in 2005
- Canadian Man Rapes [13-year-old] Beggar Girl [he is arrested – Siem Reap]
- Court Sentenced Man Who Raped [17-year-old] Girl, Then Killed Her and Took Out Her Intestines, to Life Imprisonment, and Ordered Him to Pay Riel 15 Million [approx. US$3,850 – Odongk, Kompong Speu]
Koh Santepheap, Vol.40, #5955, 1.2.2007
- UNICEF and LICADHO Are Concerned about Health of Children in Prison
- University of Cambodia Publishes Magazine in English
- [18-year-old] Girl Raped and Killed [by unknown person]
Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.15, #4200, 1.2.2007
- Minister of Information: “Club of Cambodian Journalists Does Better than Other Journalists’ Associations!” [as they had on their own initiative called on their members not to publish pictures of victims’ of violence dead bodies]
- Micheline Calmy-Rey, Head of the Swiss Confederation [and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs] Will Make Two-Day Official Visit to Cambodia [6-7 February]
Reach Seima, Vol.2, #143, 1.2.2007
- National Election Committee Prepares for Political Parties to Present Their Opinions on Radio and Television
Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.14, #2958, 1.2.2007
- Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association [ADHOC] Report Says Land Grabs in 2006 Increased Over 2005
Actually, the call of Ms. Kek Galabru for the establishment of a “Juvenile Court for trying children under 18 separately from adults” is completely in line with the Rectangular Strategy announced during the first meeting of the new National Assembly on 16 July 2004, to “become our most important action plan for the next four years.”
In the section “Judicial and Legal Reforms” it is said: “the Royal Government will establish special courts as needed, such as the Commercial Tribunal, the Juvenile Tribunal, the Labor Tribunal, and the Administrative Tribunal.”
Other laws which were not mentioned at that time to come soon were passed already, while this commitment of the government still waits to be implemented.