Sopheap Chak

Calls for Justice continues and In Memory of Kem Ley

Sopheap Chak — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 07:22:28 +0000

Kem Ley is most commonly described as a political analyst. Though accurate, this description feels insufficient to capture the work he did, the people he engaged, the bravery he showed, and the message he sent to Cambodians everywhere. Kem Ley was unshaking in his commitment to the truth. He did not let fear or bias sway him, and criticized both the main parties at time, when he felt it was…

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Green Love: Preserving Our Forest and Mountains

Sopheap Chak — Sat, 26 Jun 2021 15:41:23 +0000

Imagine yourself on the top of mountain feeling the grass, touching on the stone, and breathing the cool air: it is a real-time paradise. The journey to this green paradise is not an easy though but a worth to try. Before the journey, packing is important: the less stuff and light backpack is recommended. However, it is hard to say no to anything you feel important as you know you would…

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Cambodia scrapping Human Rights Day is a worrying sign of the times

Sopheap Chak — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 06:56:56 +0000

This year is the first time since 1993 that International Human Rights Day will not be a public holiday in Cambodia, with its symbolic shunning a sign of the wider deterioration of human rights and democracy in the Kingdom says CCHR executive director Chak Sopheap CHAK SOPHEAP DECEMBER 10, 2020 Published on the Southeast Asia Globe Each year, 10 December marks International Human…

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‘An all-time low’: Cambodia’s search for peace and democracy continues

Sopheap Chak — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 06:00:22 +0000

Cambodia has undergone a shrinking of democratic space and human rights in recent years, with this gathering pace again with the arrest of Rong Chhun and other activists in recent months. This Democracy Day, CCHR’s Chak Sopheap marks the occasion by outlining where the Kingdom is going wrong CHAK SOPHEAP SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 Published on the Southeast Asia Globe Chak Sopheap is the…

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Cambodia’s culture of victim-blaming can be ignored no longer

Sopheap Chak — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 07:30:02 +0000

Cambodian Center for Human Rights executive director Chak Sopheap explains how the Cambodian government’s big promises on women’s rights don’t align with reality – and what must be done CHAK SOPHEAP MARCH 11, 2020 Published on the Southeast Asia Globe On March 8, Cambodia celebrated International Women’s Day, as we have for the last 25 years, with an official public holiday.

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Putting Cambodia back on track

Sopheap Chak — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 14:05:13 +0000

Despite having made impressive advancements in economic development and poverty reduction in recent years, Cambodia’s achievements are marred by a serious deterioration of the human rights situation and a divergence away from the promises of the Constitution. A train that once made progress squarely in the direction of a modern, liberal, multi-party democracy appears to have derailed.

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On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2019, we celebrate Cambodia’s Indigenous Peoples’ rights

Sopheap Chak — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 13:00:31 +0000

On the occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we wish to jointly celebrate Cambodia’s indigenous communities’ rights. The rights of Indigenous peoples are guaranteed under Cambodian and International human rights law. These rights include the right to tradition, the right to religion, as well as the right to land and the right to free and informed consent.

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On World Press Freedom Day, we call for protection of journalists and a free press in South East Asia and across the world

Sopheap Chak — Fri, 03 May 2019 14:11:37 +0000

Throughout Southeast Asia, too many journalists face risks as a result of their profession, including violence, harassment, and criminal charges. This is despite the fact that states are obligated to prevent, protect against, and prosecute attacks against journalists and human rights defenders, and uphold freedom of expression. Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right which includes the…

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Turning 34: My birthday celebration for a school cause

Sopheap Chak — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 09:46:11 +0000

On weekend, a day after International Women Day (IWD) celebration, I met my 5 years old niece and I wanted her to practice her English learning at school. Then I asked her to start the conversation. Her first question to me was: How old are you? With work, meetings, and celebrations around IWD, my brain was a bit slow to run with number and only after a while, then I realized I would turn thirty…

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The 70th anniversary of UDHR: What does this mean for civil society in Cambodia?

Sopheap Chak — Sun, 09 Dec 2018 22:52:28 +0000

As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December, Human Rights Day, we will doubtless reflect on the many ways that the historic and universal rights enshrined in its provisions line up with recent developments in Cambodia. The UDHR is the mother of countless human rights treaties, resolutions and international laws that have elaborated on its…

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