Bov Sophea
Bov Sophea is a land rights activist and human rights defender combating corruption in Cambodia. She played a prominent role in mobilising the Boeung Kak Lake communities against government and private corporations' development plans and the evictions of community residents which is ongoing since 2007. Bov Sophea is one of the 13 women human rights defenders (the Boeng Kak 13) who were charged and sentenced to 2.5 year in prison on 24 May 2012 after joining the Boeung Kak Lake protest.
The Cambodian authorities use legislation and the judicial system, and threats of arrest or legal action, to restrict free speech, jail government critics, and disperse workers, trade union representatives and farmers engaging in peaceful assembly. The authorities routinely forcibly and often violently disperse public protests. In August 2015, King Norodom Sihamoni signed in effect the Law on Associations and Non-governmental Organisations (LANGO), under which severely hampers local rights groups ability to operate and permits the government to arbitrarily terminates partnerships with international organizations.
