25 K, Street 488, Phnom Penh, Cambodia +855 (0)23 987 313
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 with 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.
Ouk Chandyna
Administrator Officer
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.
Ly Kosal
Provincial Lawyer, Takeo Province
Kosal started to work for IBJ in December 2012 as a provincial lawyer in Takeo (DRC1) where he is providing legal services to the accused of misdemeanor or felony crimes who cannot hire a lawyer for themselves.
Born in Kandal Province, he graduated Diploma Associated Degree of Law in 2003 and continued in graduating a Bachelor Degree of Law from the Royal Phnom Penh University of Law and Economic in 2005.
In 2007 he joined the Lawyer Training Center (LTC) and worked as a trainee lawyer for Legal Aid of Cambodia in 2008. He also completed numerous courses including Computer, Administrative and Secretarial, Marketing and English. In 2009, Kosal worked as a lawyer for Legal Aid of Cambodia in Koh Kong province where he provided legal representation and consultation to rural poor people.
Mao Sary
Provincial Lawyer, Ratanakiri Province
Mao Sary is a lawyer at IBJ”s office in Rattanakiri. He started working IBJ in October 2010. He is currently the only permanent legal aid lawyer in Rattanakiri province. Sary was motivated to work for IBJ because it is an organization that will help poor people who do not have ability to hire the lawyer to represent their cases in the court and he want to help charged person who are charged inoffense.
Prior to working for IBJ, he worked as lawyer assistant at CDP for two year as part time job and he worked as judge assistant for 3 years as part time job as part as well. Sary studied at the Lawyer Training Center from 2005 to 2007. He worked as a Lawyer for LAC from 2007 to 2010. Sary graduated with a Bachelors of Law from Royal University of Law and Economics in Phnom Penh in 2004.
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
Appeals Court Lawyer, Phnom Penh Office
Kin Vibol was working in IBJ”s office in Takeo province (DRC1) since August 2011. He moved to IBJ”s office in Phnom Penh in December 2012. As a lawyer Vibol provides legal services to persons accused of crimes who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer themselves. He 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 for a local government official. He graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor’s Degree of Law from the Faculty of Law and Economic Sciences, and in 2005 with a Master”s Degree of Law from the Build Bright University. Vibol was born in the Banteaydey district in Pursat province.
So Bengtharun
Provincial Lawyer, Prey Veng Province
So Bengtharun started to work at IBJ”s office in Phnom Penh as the Deputy Country Director/Legal Advisor in January 2014. He supports the Country Director in supervising and coordinating all projects’ activities. He also supports the Country Director in building the legal capacities of IBJ lawyers and strengthens the organization”s internal capacities. He is responsible for supporting the project team in developing the strategy of the organization in Cambodia.
Moreover he works with provincial staff and the program management team to identify programming challenges and solutions. He endeavors to build and strengthen relationships with partners, donors, governmental institutions, courts and other stakeholders. From September 2009 to June 2013 he was working as a Provincial lawyer for IBJ in Prey Veng province, where he was the only permanent legal aid lawyer in the entire area. He was also providing legal services to the poor in the adjoining Province of Svay Rieng.
Bengtharun enjoys working with IBJ because he likes to help citizens who do not have the means to hire private lawyers. Furthermore, he is very active in promoting reform within the judicial system in Cambodia. Before starting his journey with IBJ, he worked as a lawyer”s assistant at Legal Support for Children and Women (LSCW). He also served as a lawyer at Legal Aid of Cambodia, Cambodia Defender Project, and was a legal trainer at a University. Bengtharun graduated with a Master’s Degree of Law and Political Science from the Build Bright University. He holds a Bachelor of Law Degree from the University of Law and Economic Science, which he completed in 2002.
Ouk Kalyan
Provincial Lawyer, Batambang Province
Kalyan is passionate about working with the poor and providing them better access within the justice system. Prior to IBJ, Kalyan worked at Development Partnership in Action (DPA), an organization that advocates on behalf of Cambodia”s rural poor. Kalyan studied law at the Royal University of Law and Economics in Phnom Penh.