Image from Khmer Times.
PHNOM PENH (Khmer Times): The Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC) has urgently appealed to the United Nations, demanding immediate action to secure the release of 18 Cambodian soldiers unlawfully detained by Thai armed forces.
On the morning of 29 July, hours after the ceasefire took effect, the Thai armed forces reportedly arrested Cambodian military personnel. As of Saturday (Sept 6), the soldiers have been held unlawfully for 39 days.
In its appeal to Dr Ganna Yudkivska, Chair-Rapporteur of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the CHRC stressed that the detainees have been denied access to legal protection, their families, and Cambodian officials, despite repeated requests for their release and repatriation.
“The CHRC is gravely concerned for the safety, dignity, and humane treatment of the arbitrarily detained Cambodian soldiers, particularly in conditions of incommunicado military detention, which raises the risk of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment,” the letter said.
The appeal cites violations of international law, including Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Article 118 of the Third Geneva Convention (1949), which mandate the release of detained military personnel after the cessation of hostilities. The CHRC also warned that the continued incommunicado detention may constitute enforced disappearance under international conventions.
Keo Remy, President of the CHRC, reiterated the committee’s position: “The ongoing detention of these 18 Cambodian soldiers after the ceasefire agreement represents a significant violation of international human rights and humanitarian laws, as well as the terms of the ceasefire.”
The CHRC urged the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to examine the case under its urgent procedure, declare the detention arbitrary, and call for the soldiers’ immediate release and repatriation.
The committee also requested continued monitoring of Thai authorities to ensure compliance with international legal obligations. - Khmer Times
