At least 94 people have been arbitrarily arrested in Cambodia since late July for expressing public criticism of the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV-DTA), Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said in a joint statement Aug. 28. The human rights organizations believe at least 59 of those arrested have been unlawfully detained by Cambodian authorities, and called for all charges in these cases to be immediately dropped.

Among those said to be unlawfully detained are prominent environmental and human rights activists, as well as several children. According to the statement, "many of those arrested have been charged with plotting and incitement merely for expressing their views on the CLV, or organizing peaceful protests." At least 21 face charges of incitement to commit a felony, while at least 33 face charges of plotting against the state.

Amnesty International's deputy regional director for Southeast Asia, Kate Scheutze, said "Cambodia's partners should publicly and jointly call for this assault on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly to end."

The CLV-DTA is a development plan first introduced in 2004, intended to facilitate trade between the respective countries and incentivize investment. The project entered hot water in July when Senate president and ex-prime minister Hun Sen called for the arrest of three activists who criticized the CLV-DTA during a Facebook broadcast. Telegram groups organized peaceful protests, and demonstrations were also seen in South Korea, Japan and Australia.

The CLV-DTA has raised fears over ecological impacts and the prioritization of foreign interests above Cambodians. In a statement on Aug. 13, the US-based Khmer Movement for Democracy said that the agreement would serve "as cover for further illegal deforestation, land evictions, and exploitation of resources for foreign gain." It also voiced concern that the plan would turn the four Cambodian provinces covered by the agreement—Ratanakkiri, Mondulkiri, Kratie, and Stung Treng—into "Vietnamese-controlled vassals."

Hun Sen has issued assurance that the Cambodia government has no intent of ceding any part of the national territory for the benefit of Vietnam or Laos.

From Jurist, Aug. 28. Used with permission.