based Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Voice of America, as well as Cambodian radio programme Voice of Democracy. In September, the long-running English language newspaper The Cambodia Daily shut down after the authorities gave its publishers 30 days to pay a USD6.3 million tax bill, a move widely viewed as arbitrary. The same month, RFA ceased operations in Cambodia, citing the restrictive media environment. In November, two former RFA reporters were arrested on trumped-up charges of “espionage” and faced up to 15 years in jail. On 3 September, new CNRP leader Kem Sokha was arrested at his home in the capital, Phnom Penh, and later charged with “conspiracy with a foreign power” in relation to a 2013 speech in which he discussed international advice he had received regarding democratic change. CPP lawmakers later voted to strip him of the parliamentary immunity he had been granted under the Constitution. The Ministry of Interior ordered local land rights organization Equitable Cambodia (EC) to suspend its activities for 30 days for alleged regulatory violations. Although the suspension lapsed on 15 November, EC was not allowed to resume activities. At least three individuals were arrested throughout the year for posting comments on Facebook that were regarded by authorities as insulting to the Prime Minister. On 26 November, the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights was threatened by the Prime Minister with closure; it was allowed to remain open after investigation by the Ministry of Interior and an announcement by the Prime Minister on 2 December. HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS Human rights defenders were harassed and prosecuted for their peaceful human rights work. In February, Tep Vanny, a prominent land rights activist from the Boeung Kak Lake community, was convicted of “intentional violence with aggravating circumstances” in relation to a 2013 protest, and sentenced to two years and six months’ imprisonment. In Amnesty International Report 2017/18 December, the Supreme Court upheld a sixmonth prison sentence against Tep Vanny and two other community members stemming from a protest in 2011. Human rights defenders Am Sam Ath and Chan Puthisak were investigated in February for allegedly instigating violence at an October 2016 demonstration in Phnom Penh. They were beaten by para-police during the demonstration; however, their formal complaint of assault appeared to have been ignored. In June, five serving and former staff members of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC) were released on bail after being held for more than a year in pre-trial detention on charges of bribing a witness. Three of the five − Ny Sokha, Nay Vanda and Yi Soksan − were arbitrarily denied access to medical care for two months prior to their release. The charges remained pending at the end of the year. In September, two activists from the environmental organization Mother Nature were arrested while filming sand-dredging boats off the coast of Koh Kong in an attempt to highlight alleged illegal smuggling. They were charged with incitement to commit a felony and making an unauthorized recording. UNLAWFUL KILLINGS On 23 March Oeuth Ang was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court of the 2016 murder of prominent political commentator Kem Ley. The trial lasted only half a day. The authorities did not respond to calls for an independent, impartial and effective investigation into the killing of Kem Ley. WOMEN’S RIGHTS Cambodia failed to submit its report, due in October, on implementation of the recommendations of the 2013 UN CEDAW Committee, or to follow up with requested information regarding sexual and genderbased violence – in particular redress and 111