Phnom Penh: Cambodia’s Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, An Sokkhoeurn, has slammed Special Rapporteurs once again for their latest statement. In its press release on Thursday, the UN officials say they’re “deeply disturbed by the detention of a 17-year-old boy with autism for on-line criticism”. They urged the royal government to release the boy, claiming he has been held in pre-trial detention for more than two months without access to his family.
The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom has responded, expressing “deep disappointment over the personal views of a small group of Special Rapporteurs” about law enforcement on a specific case. An Sokkhoeurn says the report amounts to “baseless allegations made by the Special Rapporteur on the Cambodian authorities through one-sided political commentary and misleading the public”.
According to the statement released by the United Nation Human Rights Council, the minor’s father “is a former opposition official” and his mother is a “human rights defender”. The statement says the boy was arrested on 24 June and charged with incitement and insulting public officials in connection with his online activities. He could face up to two years in prison if convicted. It says, “Children with disabilities accused of breaking the law should be treated in line with the best interests of the child, and every effort should be made to keep them out of jail. This is especially true in a case such as this of free and peaceful expression.”
Sokkhoeurn has responded saying the reference to the political background of the accused's family indicates an attempt to politicise the case. He says, “Joining any political party or civil society organization is not an immunity for violating the law with impunity. In Cambodia, the charges against an individual are based on the crimes committed and stated in the law, not on which group they belong to. He has added that the Cambodian court tried the case based on “strong evidence, including a medical certificate confirming a specific medical condition”, not based on rumors.
The UN Human Rights Council has highlighted that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Cambodia ratified in 1992, states that the arrest and detention of a child should be used only as a last resort and for the shortest period of time. It also stresses that this convention protects the rights of children to freedom of expression and participation. “We urge Cambodia authorities to drop the charges and release him immediately.” The UN says they are extremely concerned that the child was interrogated without a lawyer or his guardian, which violates the Cambodian Law of Juvenile Justice and international human rights standards.
However, the Permanent Mission asserted that the statement that the accused "was questioned without a defense attorney" clearly reflected the Special Rapporteur's professional negligence in properly scrutinizing sources. He says, “the Special Rapporteur must strictly adhere to the ‘Code of Conduct and Operational Manual for Special Procedure Holders’, which underscores the importance of compiling verified facts and adhering to local regulations and the UN Charter.
