Cambodia’s Criminal Justice System Plagued by Corruption, Inefficiency
Phnom Penh - Cambodia’s criminal justice system is facing numerous challenges, including corruption, inefficiency, and lack of access to information on legal rights, according to a recent report by human rights organizations.
Challenges in the Judiciary
The judiciary is widely regarded as corrupt, with judges often facilitating unlawful charges against activists and journalists on behalf of the ruling party. The detention system is also plagued by overcrowding and underfunding in jails, with thousands of Cambodians detained without trial in so-called drug rehabilitation centers.
Border Security and Organized Crime
The report highlights Cambodia’s porous borders, which have made it a key transit zone for drug and human trafficking. Despite efforts to improve cross-border cooperation and enhance border security, Cambodian authorities struggle to stop the activity of organized crime and trafficking groups due to poor facilities, insufficient specialized knowledge, and limited budgets.
Special Economic Zones and Cyber Threats
The report noted that special economic zones in Cambodia are often informally controlled by Chinese representatives and seen as outside the jurisdiction of local authorities. The Cambodian state also lacks the capacity to protect national infrastructure from cyber-attacks.
Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing
Cambodia is ranked as having one of the highest risks for money laundering and terrorist financing worldwide, due to its weak anti-money laundering regime, cash-based economy, porous borders, and limited capacity to oversee the fast-growing financial and banking industries. The country’s casinos offer highly favourable tax rates, which encourages money laundering through corrupt relationships between officials and casino owners. Illicit trafficking activities such as human, wildlife, drug, and timber trafficking are also linked to money laundering.
Challenges Faced by Civil Society
The report highlights the challenges faced by civil society organizations in Cambodia, including harassment of journalists, human rights defenders, and trade unions. The government has banned journalists from filming, recording, and live-streaming active police investigations of criminal activities, and environmentalists have been targeted with police accused of opening fire on forest activists.
Call for Government Action
The report calls on the Cambodian government to take immediate action to address the numerous challenges facing its criminal justice system, including corruption, inefficiency, and lack of transparency. The government must also improve its response to money laundering and terrorist financing, as well as provide greater support for civil society organizations.
“The situation in Cambodia is a wake-up call for the international community,” said a UN official. “We urge the government to take concrete steps to address these issues and ensure that justice is served.”
Recommendations
- Improve transparency and accountability in the criminal justice system
- Enhance border security and cooperation with neighboring countries
- Strengthen anti-money laundering regime and combat terrorist financing
- Provide greater support for civil society organizations
- Protect national infrastructure from cyber-attacks