[SIGN ON] Stand With Mother Nature Cambodia Activists
August 2, 2024
Sign on to stand with Mother Nature Cambodia and demand the immediate and unconditional release of the ten young environmental human rights defenders:
The petition, directed to Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet and Minister of the Environment Eang Sophalleth, calls for the release and dropping of charges against six members of Mother Nature Cambodia who have been imprisoned on various sentences since 2020. Many thanks to our network member for sharing the petition.
Mother Nature Cambodia (MNC) is a prominent youth-led environmental movement in the country that has won the 2023 Right Livelihood Award, also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize. Through creative use of digital media and peaceful youth mobilization, the young activists of MNC have successfully raised high-profile campaigns against reclamation, toxic wastewater discharge, dams, sand mining, among other destructive projects. As a result they have faced alarming reprisals over the past years, plainly targeting to silence them and hinder their work.
Last July 2, seven MNC activists—Ly Chandaravuth, Thun Ratha, Long Kunthea, Phuon Keoraksmey, Binh Piseth, Pok Khoeuy and Rai Raksa—were sentenced to six years for conspiracy against the state, and three others—Sun Ratha, Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson and Yim Leanghy—received an additional two years for defamation of the king (lèse-majesté), for a total sentence of no less than eight years in jail.
Chandaravuth, Thun Ratha, Kunthea, and Keoraksmey were arrested outside the courthouse after the verdict by 50 police officers and security guards, a needlessly excessive show of force.
The Asia Pacific Network of Environmental Defenders denounces the latest case of these grave reprisals against the young activists of Mother Nature Cambodia and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all ten activists. We are alarmed by the chilling effect this latest weaponization of law has and will have on other Cambodian environmental human rights defenders, who already struggle to uphold communities’ environmental rights within the narrowed civic space in the country.
Protecting communities and the environment is not a crime. The work especially of young environmental defenders like the Mother Nature Cambodia activists is necessary and critical if we are to successfully safeguard our lands and waters for present and future generations in and beyond Cambodia.
We enjoin everyone to take courage and inspiration in the words of Long Kunthea, addressing her supporters before the sentencing:
“May you all not be hopeless but continue your work in protecting the environment, your rights, your land. Although we are in jail, we will be strong. They can only arrest our bodies, but they cannot arrest our will and conscience. We raise our two fingers in a show of support for peace; it is not just a word, we support a peace with justice.”
#DefendEnvironmentalDefenders #DefendTheDefenders #FreeMotherNature5 #MotherNatureCambodia
#ដោះលែងសកម្មជនបរិស្ថាន #ដោះលែងលីចាន់ដារ៉ាវុត #ដោះលែងភួនកែវរស្មី #ដោះលែងថុនរដ្ឋា #ដោះលែងយីមលាងហ៊ី #ដោះលែងឡុងគន្ធា
Sign on to stand with Mother Nature Cambodia and demand the immediate and unconditional release of the ten young environmental human rights defenders:
References / Further Reading
Flynn, G. (2024, May 29). Trial begins for Mother Nature Cambodia activists on conspiracy charge. Mongabay. https://news.mongabay.com/2024/05/trial-begins-for-mother-nature-cambodia-activists-on-conspiracy-charge/
Flynn, G., & Srey, V. (2024, July 2). Mother Nature Cambodia activists sentenced to prison — again. Mongabay. https://news.mongabay.com/2024/07/mother-nature-cambodia-activists-sentenced-to-prison-again/
Lau, B. (2024, July 2). Cambodia: Environmental Activists Sentenced to 6 to 8 Years. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/07/02/cambodia-environmental-activists-sentenced-6-8-years
Rainforest Rescue. (2024, July 2). Mother Nature Cambodia activists sentenced to six to eight years for defending nature. Rainforest Rescue. https://www.rainforest-rescue.org/updates/12323/mother-nature-cambodia-activists-sentenced-to-six-to-eight-years-for-defending-nature
Disclaimer: The linked petition was shared by an APNED member. APNED is not officially affiliated with the groups that initiated the campaign supporting the release of Mother Nature Cambodia activists.