CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, calls for the immediate release of five Mother Nature Cambodia environmental rights defenders, who are now featured in its ‘Stand As My Witness’ campaign. The global campaign by CIVICUS urges the release of imprisoned human rights defenders.  

Long Kunthea, Ly Chandaravuth, Phuon Keoraksmey, Thun Ratha and Yim Leanghy have been in jail for over 600 days. They were handed prison sentences between six to eight years and are currently held in various prisons in Cambodia. 

The activists were among ten members of the environmental group Mother Nature Cambodia convicted on 2 July 2024. The Phnom Penh Capital Court charged them of “plotting against the state” and “insulting the King” due to their peaceful environmental advocacy.  

“The conviction and imprisonment of Mother Nature Cambodia activists was clearly aimed at silencing their voices and to stifle activism.  The global Stand As My Witness campaign calls on Cambodian authorities to overturn their unjust convictions. The environmental defenders must be released immediately and unconditionally,” said Rajavelu Karunanithi, Advocacy and Campaigns Officer for Asia at CIVICUS.  

Mother Nature Cambodia has a long track record of environmental advocacy in Cambodia. Their work includes raising awareness about destructive infrastructure projects and campaigning against illegal sand mining. The group received the Right Livelihood Award in 2023. However, the members facing charges were prevented by the court from travelling to Stockholm to receive the award. 

"Jailing Mother Nature activists highlights the repression of activists in Cambodia under Prime Minister Hun Manet. In recent years, dozens of activists and journalists have been criminalised. Media outlets have been shut down, and civil society’s work is heavily restricted.

“Cambodia must stop attacks on activists. The government must respect international human rights obligations and protect fundamental freedoms s',” said Rajavelu Karunanithi.

The five activists join 17 other jailed individuals featured in Stand As My Witness. The campaign includes leading global activists like Iran’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning women’s rights activist Narges Mohammadi, Hong Kong activist Chow Hang-Tung, Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez and the Tajikistani 2024 Martin Ennals Award winner, Manuchehr Kholiqnazarov.  

The campaign has so far supported the release of over 30 human rights defenders from around the world.  

Civic space in Cambodia is rated as ‘repressed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor.