Please see below for examples of the Center's public work involving opposition activists as part of the Clooney Foundation for Justice TrialWatch Initiative.
CAMBODIA
The Center monitored the trial of Kong Raiya, an activist with the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party. He was charged with incitement to commit a felony for a Facebook post about the commemoration of the death of Kem Ley, a slain opposition figure. After serving nearly five months in arbitrary pre-trial detention, he was convicted today and given a two-year suspended sentence following a one-day hearing. His prosecution and conviction violated his right to freedom of expression. Full TrialWatch Fairness Report forthcoming.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
Trial Observation Report: Mass Trial in Equatorial Guinea
From March to May 2019, the Center monitored a mass trial in Equatorial Guinea. The proceedings concluded with the unjust conviction of 112 defendants for participation in an alleged coup attempt. From the outset, the trial was marred by egregious procedural irregularities, including the President’s direct appointment of judges and prosecutors from the military and police, and violated guarantees that are part of every State’s obligations under international human rights law.
KAZAKHSTAN
Kazakhstan: Preliminary Report on Proceedings Against Human Rights Activist Alnur Ilyashev
The Center monitored the trial in Kazakhstan of Alnur Ilyashev, an activist convicted on June 22 of ‘spreading false information during an emergency.’ While he was given a non-custodial sentence, the court’s decision violates his right to freedom of expression. Indeed, the charges were based on protected speech—social media posts in which Mr. Ilyashev criticized the authorities for corruption and incompetence, including in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.