The Cambodian judicial system is failing to prosecute brothel owners and those who organize and profit from the country’s sex industry, local human rights group Adhoc claimed at a conference Wednesday.
Chun Sath, Adhoc’s acting secretary general, said brothel owners are not being arrested and successfully prosecuted despite a rash of proof that they are guilty of breaking laws.
He said Adhoc followed 44 court cases in the first six months of this year, 80 percent of which involved girls under the age of 18. However, only in four cases were brothel owners found guilty.
“With cooperation from court prosecutors, we have tried very hard to rescue prostitutes,” he said. “But we have only been 30 percent successful in bringing [brothel owners] to court because bribery and the backing of high-ranking officials means they are released before the hearing.”
Ek Kreth, chief of judicial police, said Thursday the courts are outside his jurisdiction and it is up to the courts to determine who should be released or detained.
However Ek Kreth added he was in the process of searching for corrupt officials.
“We are implementing the law and doing everything we can to bring them under the law,” he said. “However, so far we have not caught any brothel owners—only the victims, and they never reveal who the brothel owners are.” He added that many prostitutes say they voluntarily work in the sex business.
First Deputy Governor Chea Sophara, who has spearheaded the latest crackdown in Phnom Penh, said Thursday the government can claim some success in prosecuting those who profit from prostitution.
“So far we have arrested some and with enough evidence they were jailed. But in cases where there is little evidence, they were released,” he said.
He also said that what happens in the courts is out of his jurisdiction. “The court is an independent institution. I cannot accuse them of doing this or that. I cannot interfere in their duty.” Lim Mony, head of Adhoc’s Women’s Section, added that only a few cases of sexual exploitation even reach the stage of legal complaint.
“The numbers of cases we receive do not represent the reality in Cambodia because some people will not bring charges against offenders because they fear for their personal safety,” said Lim Mony.
And, Lim Mony said, few sex workers have any hope of winning in a court against those who profited from sexually exploiting them.
