Team Cambodia

Ouk Vandeth – IBJ Fellow and Country Manager

Joining IBJ in 2007, Ouk Vandeth is currently the IBJ Fellow and Country Director of the program in Cambodia. Vandeth is responsible for the operation, coordination and success of IBJ’s legal aid services, Street Law activities, Roundtable forums and Lawyer Training. Vandeth is also responsible for strengthening relationships to both local and foreign governments as well as private funders to ensure IBJ’s growth in Cambodia.

Vandeth survived the Khmer Rouge, and served as the Police Commander at refugee site two camp. He was a Police Official from 1985 to 1994, a time when it was socially acceptable for the police to obtain confessions by means of torture. After this experience, he was trained by Karen Tse and became one of Cambodia’s first public defenders. Vandeth was also one of IBJs first Fellows. In 1996, Vandeth was named Head of Kandal Provincial Legal Aid Office, the first Legal Aid office of Cambodia reconstructed after the Khmer Rouge. In 2004 he then became the Director of Legal Aid of Cambodia.

He is now nationally recognized as one of the leading public defenders in Cambodia and currently sits on the board of Development and Partnership Action in Cambodia. Vandeth joined IBJ to facilitate change both attitude and culture of the Cambodian civil and judicial society towards legal rights and the use of torture as an investigative tool. His extensive legal aid experience means he understands the needs of the accused and more importantly the strategies required to successfully defend peoples’ basic human rights. He accepts that early intervention by a lawyer, citizen legal education and justice community discussions have positive impacts on preventing torture, excessive pre-trial detention and disproportionate sentencing practices. Mr Vandeth has therefore resolved to devote attention to preventing these injustices in Cambodia.

Hok Meng Eam – Provincial Lawyer

Hok Meng Eam joined IBJ in February 2010. Currently working as a lawyer for IBJ’s Phnom Penh office, Eam is responsible for defendant advocacy and basic legal rights protection, achieved through the provision of legal aid representation and legal consultation during investigative and trial phases.

Eam’s work has focused on criminal defense, strengthening the rule of law, good governance and human rights in Cambodia. She has extensive expertise as a lawyer, specifically in violations of the rights of children, children in the justice system, and women’s rights. Eam also provides advice and representation on issues of domestic violence, divorce, marriage and land disputes.

Before joining IBJ, Ms Eam worked for five years as a lawyer for Legal Aid Cambodia in the Women’s Justice Program and the Juvenile Unit. She has gained experience across the Cambodian court system, representing clients in Cambodia’s Provincial Courts, Appellate Court and the Supreme Court.

Eam holds both a Master of Law and Bachelor of Law from the Royal University of Law & Economics, Phnom Penh.

Through her work at IBJ, Eam remains committed to working towards eliminating torture, excessive pre-trial detention and disproportionate sentencing practices in Cambodia.

Chan Reaseypheak – Provincial Lawyer

Pheak joined IBJ in February 2010. Currently working as a lawyer for IBJ’s Phnom Penh office, Ms. Pheak is responsible for court advocacy for the effective enforcement of Cambodian Criminal Penal and Procedures Codes. Pheak also provides legal aid representation during the investigative and trial phases across Cambodia.

Pheak has focused her career on access to justice promotion in Cambodia. She has extensive experience as a legal aid lawyer, focusing on representing indigent clients who otherwise have limited or no access to legal representation on domestic violence. Pheak also provides advice on divorce, assault, sexual and narcotic offences. Prior to joining IBJ, Pheak worked as a lawyer for three years at Legal Aid Cambodia. There she gained experience defending clients in criminal matters before the Provincial Courts, Appellate Court and the Supreme Court.

Pheak holds both her Master of Law and Bachelor of Law from the Royal University of Law of Economics, Phnom Penh.

Through her work at IBJ, Pheak holds the Police, Investigative Judge and Trial Judge accountable in upholding the Cambodian Criminal Penal and Procedures codes.

Sim Dalis – DRC Coordinator

Dalis is the Program Coordinator at IBJ’s office in Phnom Penh. She is responsibilities include the coordination of various reports, management of information on the IBJ intranet, collection of data for monitoring and evaluation and assisting the Senior Country Fellow with planning of activities. Her desire to work for IBJ is because the organization strives to protect due process and achieve fair trials for the accused throughout the world. Like IBJ, she is dedicated to protecting the basic legal rights of ordinary citizens in developing countries.

While working for IBJ She would like to gain more experience in law, especially criminal law, so she can help other people to know the rights. Previously, Ms Dalis worked as a consultant in Kandal Court. At the Court she compiled monthly Court statistics using data from the Court’s register, trained and assisted other Court personnel to update the Court’s and Prosecutor’s office registers, conducted regular audits to ensure accuracy of the information contained in the registers. Ms Dalis has also worked as an administrative assistant at World Vision. She entered data for recording overall project expenditures, assisted the Administrative Officer and Accounting Officer in overall project administration, and provided support services to project staff, developed and maintained filling project records, assisted in the preparation of meetings, training and workshop, and assisted the coordination of monitoring activities for various projects. Ms Dalis graduated with the bachelor degree of Law major in Royal University of Law and Economics in 2009. She also holds an English literature degree the Human Resources University.

Ouk Chandyna – Office Administrator

Chandyna is responsible for the day-to-day administrative tasks at IBJ’s Phnom Pehn office. Chandyna joined IBJ in 2008 to pursue her interest in helping the indigent accused in court and raising public awareness of individual rights.

Prior to IBJ, she worked as an assistant lawyer and as a receptionist for Legal Aid of Cambodia. Before that she was a police officer for two years. Besides Cambodian, she speaks English and Thai.

Kate Flower – Cambodia Program Officer

Kate joined IBJ in August 2011 as the Cambodian Project Officer. After graduating from the Australian National University with a Bachelor of Laws in 2006, Kate was admitted as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2007. Since then, Kate has pursued a career as a private lawyer. While completing her studies, and while subsequently working in private practice, Kate worked on a number of social justice programs including: an Australian Senate Inquiry, drafting an ACT Legal Aid publication, and providing pro-bono services in two Community Legal Educations Centres in both Australia and the United Kingdom. Prior to joining IBJ, Kate spent seven months volunteering at a community centre in one of the poorest slum areas of Siem Reap, Cambodia. Kate is also currently studying her Master of Laws at the University of Sydney.

Kate is a volunteer with the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) Program. The AYAD Program is part of Australian Volunteers for International Development, an Australian Government, AusAID initiative.

Long Savoeun – Finance Officer

Long Savoeun joined IBJ in October 2011. Savoeun currently holds the position of Finance Officer, and facilitates the financial operations in Cambodia. Savoeun has more than four years experience in finance, initially working for Legal Aid Cambodia, providing assistance in accounting and financial management.

Savoeun has a Bachelors Degree in Accounting and a Bachelors Degree in Forestry Science. Savoeun also has a Masters Degrees of Audit and a Masters Degree of Integrated Management of Agriculture and Rural Development. Savoeun has a strong work ethic and is committed to working honestly, giving confidence to donors and supporters of IBJ.

Kin Vibol – Provincial Lawyer

Kin Vibol has worked at IBJ’s office in Takeo province since August 2011. As a provincial lawyer Vibol provides legal services in this province to persons accused of crimes who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer themselves and also organizes Street Law and Rural Education campaigns for indigent Cambodian citizens. Vibol is passionate about his work and is committed to helping the poor in rural areas who have limited knowledge about their legal rights. Prior to joining IBJ – between 2005 and 2008 – Vibol worked as a legal assistant to a local government official. He graduated in 2002 with Bachelor’s Degree of Law from the Faculty of Law and Economic Sciences, and in 2005 with Master’s Degree of Law from the Build Bright University.

Vibol was born in the Banteaydey district in Pursat province.

Chan Vanny – Provincial Investigator

Since joining IBJ in January 2011, Vanny has worked as a Provincial Investigator in IBJ’s DRCs in Takeo Province. Vanny was motivated to work for IBJ by the opportunity his position provides to apply his knowledge of law that he developed as a student and want to get more experience from the law sector.

The most rewarding aspects of his job are helping citizens in remote areas to learn about the law and their rights, and it makes him very happy when the lawyer he works with is able to get justice for a person IBJ is representing. In the future, Vanny would like to continue his legal education to work in Legal organization in Cambodia. Prior in 2010 Vanny worked as Legal Intern in IBJ Phnom Penh city; he assisted to lawyer with some tasks at the court and in the office. In 2009 Vanny worked as Legal Intern at Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) in trial monitoring project. In 2008 Vanny worked as Volunteer at Star Kampuchea Organization in advocacy program. Vanny holds a Bachelor of law from the Royal University of Law and Economics in Phnom Penh.

He was born in Kampot province, and completed his certificate at Samdech Cheasim high school in Kampot province.