"Conservation NGO Suspended for Allegedly not Providing Adequate Documentation", 25 April 2020

The Ministry of Interior suspended the operations of a wildlife conservation NGO, citing the Law on Associations and NGOs, for allegedly not providing required annual reports and other documentation.

…, Interior Minister Sar Kheng issued a letter to Chheav Ann Salideth, head of the Cambodia Wild Life Forest Fisheries Protection and Conservation NGO, suspending the organization’s activities temporarily, citing Article 8 of the group’s bylaws and Articles 10 and 25 of LANGO.

“The organization must provide in writing all information, accounts and addresses of the headquarters,” the letter reads. “And provide the consolidated report of the results of the work and the financial reports for 2017, 2018 and 2019 to the Ministry of Interior within 30 workdays.”

… Chheav Ann Salideth could not be reached for comment. An NGO staffer, Prom Phearun declined to comment on the letter, saying the organization’s leadership had only seen the allegations in the press and not received the letter…

“The organization is active with the government in planting trees, as well as assisting in all kinds of activities, such as the transportation of wildlife and many humanitarian activities,” he said.

… Prom Phearun said the last accusation was allegedly done by a person pretending to be part of the NGO, not giving any additional details of the arrest.

Soeung Sen Karuna, senior investigator at rights group ADHOC, said the Ministry of Interior should be clear about why it has raised these issues now, because arbitrary implementation of the law would cause worry among civil society groups…