To: International Human Rights Organizations,
UN Human Rights Council,
Democratic Governments,
International Media
Precarious Situation of Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach:
- Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach is under constant threat of arrest by the Cambodian authorities in Cambodia.
Reason for Threat of Arrest:
- Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach is currently a columnist/writer of the Prey Nokor newspaper in Cambodia.
Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach was born on January 20, 1981 in Giong Dau hamlet, Hoa An commune, Cau Ke district, Tra Vinh province, Kampuchea-Krom (South Vietnam). Ven. Koeun Preichea Thach is currently a Cambodian citizen and resides in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Ven. Koeun Preichea Thach has actively participated in many International conferences on Human Rights and International Religious Freedom in the Region.
Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach’s situation in Cambodia:
On April 5, 2010 the security agents from the Ministry of Religion and other officials from other agencies of the Government of Cambodia in Phnom Penh Capital came to arrest Ven. Koeun Preichea Thach at Botum Vadey temple in Phnom Penh where he used to reside. The reason they came to arrest him because the Venerable asked some young men to freely circulate Prey Nokor newspaper on the streets of Phnom Penh Capital. In the first attempt of arrest, Ven. Koeun Preichea Thach fortunately escaped his residence at Botum Vadey temple for one night. After the intense negotiations by Mr. Ly Chuonn, the Editor of Prey Nokor newspaper, with the secret agents and officials of the government, and in the end a formal apology issued by the editor on behalf of the newspaper. On April 6, 2010, Ven. Koeun Preichea Thach was able to return to his residence at Botum Vadey temple without arrest.
On June 1, 2010, Ven. Koeun Preichea Thach decided to leave his residence at Botum Vadey temple for his own safety. Ven. Koeun Preichea Thach went to seek new residence at Ang Phor Thi Nhieng temple in Meanchey district, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. On August 21, 2010, the secret agents from the Ministry of Religion of Cambodian government and the secret agents of the Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen came to hold intensive talks with the Abbot of Ang Phor Thi Nhieng temple for the whole day on the case of the Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach’s taking-up residence at the temple. At 8:00pm of that same day, the Abbot of Ang Phor Thi Nhieng temple, Venerable Nouch Veasna demanded that Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach leave his temple immediately. Upon that demand by the temple Abbot, Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach departed the Ang Phor Thi Nhieng temple at 11pm on the same day.
On August 27, 2010, Venerable Danh That, the Abbot of the Angtaming temple in Don Ko district, Phnom Penh, Cambodia permitted Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach to take up residence on a temporary basis. However, his presence at the Angtaming temple was not even a full day, the officials from the Cambodian Ministry of Interior under the directives of the officials from the Vietnamese Embassy to Cambodia, and the Vietnamese communist government in Hanoi, telephoned directly to Venerable Danh That to expel Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach from the Angtaming temple without conditions. At 9:00PM August 27, 2010, Venerable Danh That asked Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach to leave his temple immediately. If he does not want to leave, he must sign an agreement for not involving in writing articles for the Prey Norkor News. On August 29, 2010, the interior police ordered chief Monk Ven. Danh That to cease Ven. Koeun passport and Monkhood book.
We have deeply concerned for Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach’s own safety and security under the constant threats from both repressive governments: the Cambodian government and the Vietnamese government. In this regards, we would like to urgently appeal for the international community’s intervention to:
• Help closely monitor and help investigate the case of Venerable Koeun Preichea Thach in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
• Request that Cambodia and Vietnam uphold their commitments to human rights and to immediately stop terrorizing Venerable Keoun Preichea Thach on the ground that he is merely a writer/columnist to freely express his opinion.
• Urge the Vietnamese government to stop interfering with the Cambodia’s internal affairs.
Thanks for your help in advance.
Respectfully Yours,
Thach Ngoc Thach
KKF President
