prisons

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 562

“Phnom Penh: Cambodia has twenty four provinces and municipalities, but there are twenty five prisons countrywide. According to observations and research conducted by the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights – LICADHO – on prisoners of eighteen prisons in 2008, prisoners in Cambodia still face many difficulties, and the prisons have not yet reached the standards set.

“The director of LICADHO, Ms. Pong Chiv Kek [Dr. Kek Galabru] told Khmer Sthapana that, according to their research, conducted four times a month on prisoners in eighteen prisons from among the 20 prisons, the conditions of prisons in Cambodia are still very difficult.

“Difficulties exist because prisons are very narrow and old, the roofs leak, such as in the prisons in Takeo and in Kompong Thom. The number of prisoners increased, but the prisons have not been increased, so that in some rooms up to thirty or forty prisoners are together, making each room very crowded and hot, and the electricity is often cut; this affects their health – if any of them has a disease, the others are infected, and sometimes there was violence among them.

“Another major problem is food; the state provided only Riel 1,000 [approx. US$0.26] per prisoner per day, which is now increased to Riel 1,500 [approx. US$0.39]. Still, this is not enough to cover the expenses, because the prices of all goods increased, and food is also expensive, making food supplies in prisons to be a problem.

“Another important issue is the shortage of medicines; sometimes there were not enough medicines and sometimes prisons lack medicines and doctors, because there is no money; and when a prisoner fell seriously ill and needed to be referred to a hospital, sometimes, there was no fuel to run the car. The basic problem is funding.

“According to the Prison Conditions in Cambodia 2007 report of LICADHO, observing eighteen prisons from 1999 to 2006, the number of prisoners continually increased. In 1999, there were 3,282 prisoners; in 2002 there were 5,302 prisoners; in 2003 there were 5,711 prisoners; in 2004, there were 6,296 prisoners; in 2005, there were 8,238 prisoners; and in 2006, there were 8,835 prisoners.

“Separately, by April 2008, the number of prisoners had climbed up to 9,315 in total, among them there were 579 minors – among them were fourteen little girls – and 8,736 adult prisoners, of whom 546 were women (this is the figure of the prisoners of the eighteen prisons observed and researched by LICADHO).

“Dr. Pong Chiv Kek continued that the numbers of prisoners steadily grows, but we do not know whether this is because the actions of the police become more efficient, or because the number of crimes increases. She said she does not have statistic about the prisoners who had been released and those who had entered the prisons, or of those who had been caught and then been released.

“However, some penalties are reduced three times per year, based on proposals by prison officials, after they have established that prisoners have corrected themselves. The first reduction of penalties is conducted on Khmer New Year, the second on Visakh Bochea Day, and the third at the Water Festival. On the other hand, according to Article 27 of the Constitution, the King has the right to grant amnesty.

“Regarding information that there were bribes paid by some prisoners’ families to prison officials in order that the officials include their children’s or relatives’ names into the list proposing to reduce heir penalty, Dr. Pong Chiv Kek said that LICADHO is not sure, because there is no concrete evidence. However, she acknowledged that she has heard such information, but there is no proof.

“A prison official said that the prison conditions are being improved and they are moving to more improvements, like now, a new prison is being constructed in Takhmao [Kandal]; though the government does not have enough funds, there are countries cooperating like Australia that helps repairing some buildings. Related to health care and the improvement of the prisons’ environment, prisoners are allowed to go out of their cells for one to two hours, and there is also education and short term skill training, such as sewing and reading books. Some prisons have been converted to become rehabilitation centers.

“Dr. Pong Chiv Kek supports the educational plans at the rehabilitation centers, for example, facilitating prisoners to go out of their cells to read books, to learn something in short training courses, or to sew something so that they do not feel bored, in order to improve their mental attitude to get rid of violence and other bad habits. She went on to say that the use of soft methods in guidance and education is better than using strong methods like hitting people, because violence will make them feel angry and they will want to take revenge after they are released, and will be worse than before.” Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #24, 31-3.5-6.2008

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Saturday, 31 May 2008

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1655, 31.5.2008

• The Government Considers Corruption as a Social Disease [says Deputy Prime Minister Bin Chhin, in charge of preventing corruption]
• The US Will Provide Thirty One Big Trucks to the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
• Prices of Food in the World Will Continue to Increase until next Year [according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #166, 31.5.2008

• Chea Ratha Admitted to have Been Ms. In Soklida’s Lesbian Partner for Three Years, but She Denied that She Was Related to the Violent Crime [of an acid attack on Ms. In Soklida’s aunt – she told a local FM radio station in Phnom Penh on 30 May 2008 from Thailand]
• Mr. Sam Rainsy Pushes the National Assembly to Summon [Prime Minister] Hun Sen to Be Questioned over the Nominations of Countless Advisors Which Wastes National Funds

Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #24, 31.5.2008

• Investment Rate in Cambodia Declines to Nearly 50% Early 2008 [according to a report of the Council for the Development of Cambodia]
• The Condition of Prisons in Cambodia Remains Difficult
• Child Sex Abuse Threatens Cambodian Children [according to reports from LICADHO]

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3474, 31-1.5-6.2008

• The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC] Finds that All Kinds of Drug Crimes Dramatically Increase in Cambodia [link undated – probably August 2007]
• Yuon [Vietnamese] Soldiers in Uniform Could Enter Khmer Territory Easily [on 25 May 2008 at Bavet international market, Svay Rieng]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4603, 31.5.2008

• The National Election Committee Announced the Result of Numbering the Parties on the Ballots

  1. Norodom Ranariddh Party
  2. Khmer Democratic Party
  3. League for Democracy Party
  4. Cambodian People’s Party
  5. Khmer Anti-Poverty Party
  6. Khmer Republican Party
  7. Sangkum Yutethor Party (the Just Society Party)
  8. Funcinpec
  9. Sam Rainsy Party
  10. Hang Dara Democratic Movement Party
  11. Human Rights Party]

• There Are More Than 10,000 People Who Have AIDS in Cambodia [according to an announcement by officials of the National AIDS Authority of Cambodia]
• Domestic Violence Reduces the Income of a Victimized Family by One Firth [Minister of Women’s Affairs Ms. Ing Kantha Phavi said in a press conference]
• An Aid Donor from Japan Checked the Clearing of Mines to Restore Roads and Canals [in a region of Battambang – to open the way for the organization Good-Earth-Japan to implement their plan to help prevent flooding during the coming rainy season – pictures and Japanese text]

Have a look at last week’s editorial: The oil price spiral – special investments – and a comparison of the activities in Myanmar and in China

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