and Nastasia Bach

On 20 and 21 March 2012, International Bridges to Justice (IBJ) held two legal rights awareness events on Cambodia’s Criminal Procedure and Penal Code in Takeo Province.  The two events brought together 100 Cambodian citizens eager to learn about their legal rights.

At each event Mr. Kin Vibol, IBJ’s provincial lawyer in Takeo, started by explaining the purpose and importance of teaching Cambodian citizens about their legal rights.  He explained that the law provides rights to all people, innocent and guilty, and that these rights ensure fairness, justice and overall respect for human dignity.

Mr Vibol went on to teach the audience about the role of a lawyer and how a lawyer can help people who have a problem with the law.  He noted that a lawyer has knowledge of what is right and what is wrong when being arrested, questioned or detained.  To empower the audience to enforce their basic rights, Mr Vibol taught the audience some basic principles including the right to refuse to answer questions and the right to speak with a lawyer.

Following this, Mr Vibol discussed the rights of persons accused at trial by teaching the audience about the presumption of innocence, the right not to be tortured, the right to a defence, and the right to an appeal.  Mr Vibol went on to discuss the importance of public hearings and the right to a fair trial, free from prejudice or presumed guilt.

Mr Vibol then asked the audience for questions, resulting in a lively discussion.  Questions included the right to make a complaint, judicial independence and the time periods for detention.

Each training session ended with applause from the audience and the Deputy Commune Chief expressing gratitude for teaching their community about legal rights.

A member of the audience, Sum Sophart, told IBJ staff that he first heard of IBJ on the radio.  He said that he trusts IBJ’s work for Cambodian citizens.  He stated that:

“The most important thing I learnt today is to understand how a lawyer can help find justice for those who have been wrongly accused. I will share this information with the people of my village to make them aware of their rights.”

This is very encouraging for IBJ to hear as people that know their rights are empowered to stand up for themselves and enforce their rights.

This event was supported by Australian Aid.

 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.