New Head of CHRC and his strange statement regarding NGO

Despite the arrest of two human rights officials yesterday and the charging of four Adhoc officials last week, Keo Remy, the newly appointed head of the Cambodia Human Rights Committee (CHRC), declared that human rights in the Kingdom are progressing. Mr. Remy, a secretary of state to the Council of Ministers, made the comments at his first press conference since taking office at the committee yesterday, stating that if rights workers broke the law then they must answer for it.

“The persons who works for human rights NGOs are not gods who never do something wrong,” he said, adding that the Adhoc officials who were charged should find a lawyer and present a credible case in court. His comments fly in the face of a litany of protests by local and international human rights groups, who have expressed grave concerns over the current state of human rights in Cambodia.

Am Sam Ath, a senior technical supervisor for local rights group Licadho, said Mr. Remy had a right to voice his opinion on human rights, but he fundamentally disagreed, citing the recent political crackdown. “The government is using the law to restrict human rights,” he said.

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