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Article

22 Jan 2021

Author:
Sorn Sarath, CamboJA

Cambodia: 17 years after the assassination of prominent union leader, workers & unions continue to call for justice & an end to impunity

"17 years on, workers mourn assassinated union leader Chea Vichea and decry culture of impunity", 22 January 2021

Dozens of workers and unionists gathered … to mourn the death of Chea Vichea, an outspoken union leader who was assassinated in broad daylight while reading a newspaper at a roadside newsstand outside Wat Langka in 2004…

“The government is responsible for finding justice for workers, especially crimes against union leaders, or there will be no justice for the people,” said Ath Thon, president of the Cambodian Labor Confederation.

“We keep calling again and again for authorities to find justice, not only for Chea Vichea but for all.”…

“Chea Vichea’s case is still open and the process of seeking justice and the ongoing investigation remain in place,” Justice Ministry spokesman Chin Malin told CamboJA.

… No one has been held accountable for the killings, which are an example of the impunity that runs rampant in Cambodia’s justice system, said Chak Sopheap, executive director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights.

“This detrimental culture of impunity robs citizens of their fundamental rights and instills a lack of confidence in the judiciary,” Sopheap said.

“We will not forget Chea Vichea. His case serves as a reminder to the Royal Government of Cambodia and to the public of the importance of accountability, transparency and rule of law to combat impunity and corruption.”

…, Chea Vichea’s brother, Chea Mony, who took control of the Free Trade Union for some years, called for the government to shut down the investigation and stop pretending it was trying to find the killer…

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