Nine villagers and a monk were questioned by police and allowed to return home after signing a contract related to the dissemination of Paris Peace Agreements’ information in Kampot province. A civil society group noted that the space for freedom of expression and to assemble has tightened.

Approximately 10 villagers, including a monk, gathered at a public park to mark the 33rd Paris Peace Agreements on Wednesday, in Kampot city.

At 8 a.m, they were summoned for gathering without permission and allowed to return about 10 p.m that day.

Meas Den, 44, said he arrived home about 10 p.m after signing a contract agreeing to stop conducting activities without the Kampot city police’s permission with regards to the celebration.

He said he participated in the event to share his knowledge, and uphold the spirit of the agreement which talks about safeguarding territorial sovereignty and human rights issues.

“We just shared about the law [Paris Agreement Agreements] but we weren’t allowed, so we don’t know how to talk with them [the participants],” he said.

“Yes, I think it restricts the right to freedom of citizens. We just shared about the law, there is nothing wrong [about that],” Den said.

Another participant, Pech Sokny, said police questioned her regarding the celebration and creating a movement relating to the Facebook page of Srun Srorn, an activist of the Paris Peace Agreements.

“In my opinion, this is a serious violation of human rights. As we know our current society is [led by a] democratic leadership and adheres to constitutional law,” she said.

“People did nothing wrong, we just talked about the law and shared knowledge with each other but they [authorities] repressed our rights and freedom,” Sokny said.

She opined that educating the public does not necessarily require permission from the authorities.

Kampot city administration chief Svay Nith confirmed that the people were questioned because they carried out activities without the authorities’ permission.

“It’s wrong because they wanted to disseminate [information] without permission,” he said. “To assemble, disseminate something requires permission.”

Kampot city deputy police chief Kong Bunthoeun said police officials called them to ask for information regarding the celebration of the Paris Peace Agreements.

“We have just educated them that when they want to disseminate something in public places, they need to inform our local authority in order for us to ensure public order and security for them,” he said.

“We have not restricted their rights, but on behalf of local authorities, [who are] like their parents, they have to inform the authorities,” Bunthoeun said.

Paris Peace Agreements activist Srun Srorn, along with three others were charged with criminal incitement in July after a live broadcast on Srorn’s Facebook about the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area agreement.

The Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), in its 2023 annual publication, noted that restrictions and violations of fundamental rights in Cambodia have risen.

According to the report, 633 incidents related to fundamental freedoms were recorded in 2023. Out of this, 255 incidents had at least one restriction, and 377 involved abuse.

Ninety-eight incidents of systematic expression were recorded, with 64% of these violations involving freedom of expression on social media. Facebook had the most number of restrictions or abuses.

Yun Phally, provincial coordinator of rights group Adhoc, expressed concern that the right to freedom of speech has shrunk, noting that citizens had the right to exercise freedom of speech in public as stipulated in the constitution.

“We saw that the authorities seemed to restrict people who share knowledge, laws and the constitution with other people,” he said.

“Citizens have the right to express opinions and share information,” Phally said.