"Joint Open Letter: Request to Create a Commission of Inquiry into the killing of Kem Ley", 7 July 2017

Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the killing of Kem Ley, we, …, reiterate our concerns regarding the apparent lack of progress in investigating this case, as well as the inadequate investigation and trial of Oeuth Ang, the only person yet convicted or charged in relation to Kem Ley’s death. In light of the inadequacy of the investigation, we urge the Royal Government of Cambodia (“RGC”) to establish an independent and impartial Commission of Inquiry, in line with international standards, to continue the investigation.

…, immediately following the conviction of Oeuth Ang for the killing of Kem Ley, Oeuth Ang’s lawyer announced that an investigation was ongoing into two persons allegedly linked to the killing – a fact confirmed by the prosecutor Ly Sophana, who reportedly said that the case was split so that Oeuth Ang could be tried while the investigation into the other suspects continued…

The right to life is enshrined in the Cambodian Constitution and binding international human rights law, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Cambodia is a State Party. The duty of states to protect that right to life includes a positive obligation on the RGC to ensure an impartial and thorough investigation into the killing of Kem Ley…

The RGC must now establish a Commission of Inquiry in order to conduct an independent, impartial, effective and transparent investigation into the killing. Principle 11 of the UN Principles calls for the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry when ‘the established investigative procedures are inadequate because of lack of expertise or impartiality,…