CCHR's work in this area strives to address restrictions on and violations of fundamental freedoms encountered by Human Rights Defenders and peaceful protestors.

There are grave concerns about the level of influence that the Ministry of Justice now has over judges and prosecutors, violating the principle of the separation of powers and thereby undermining judicial independence.

Since Cambodia has traditionally had a predominantly rural population and a small-scale agricultural economy, many poor and vulnerable communities are now being disenfranchised and marginalized by such rapid development.

CCHR's Business and Human Rights projects have historically worked towards the goal of achieving an increase in the demand of the public – in Cambodia and abroad – for the respect of human rights by garment factories operating in Cambodia and the incorporation of the GPs into the policies and day-to-day operations of garment factories.

For many years now it has run a highly effective SOGIE Project that promotes and protects the human rights of LGBTIQ people in Cambodia who currently face significant discrimination.

[2] CCHR is also developing programs to work on ethnic and minority rights, focusing particularly on the disturbing trend towards anti-Vietnamese rhetoric and racism that has cast a shadow over Cambodia since the start of the political campaign for the 2013 National Assembly elections – an area in which CCHR established a principled and authoritative voice in the aftermath of the 2013 elections – as well as on the rights of the beleaguered Khmer Krom minority in southern Vietnam.

However, the RGC has not developed any policies or independent mechanisms to protect HRDs, who continue to face threats, harassment and physical violence.

There is still a worrying lack of understanding of human rights among Cambodians, including those in positions of power in the public, private and NGO sectors.

Many of the HRDs now being threatened and judicially harassed are online activists, targeted in response to politically sensitive posts on Facebook and Twitter.

CCHR was officially registered with the Ministry of Interior in October 2002 and launched on 12 November 2002 to promote and protect democracy and human rights in Cambodia.

In December 2006, Kem Sokha and other civil rights leaders were arrested and imprisoned for allegedly defaming the Royal Government of Cambodia (the “RGC”).

Sopheap also ran the Cambodian Youth Network for Change, which mobilized young activists around the country for greater civic engagement, until 2009 and is currently a contributing author to Global Voices Online and Future Challenges.

[6] It has a board of directors and a panel of Counselors – successful and influential individuals who have a passion for human rights and support CCHR's work.

The CCHR's donors include the United States Agency for International Development (“USAID”); the European Union (“EU”); the International Center for Not-For-Profit Law (“ICNL”); the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (“RFSU”); the Fair, Green and Global Alliance at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (“GIZ”); Canadian Journalists for Free Expression/International Freedom of Expression; Open Society Foundations; Diakonia; Freedom House, and Action Aid.