Ou Tepphallin
Ou Tepphallin is a labour union activist working for the Cambodian Food and Service Workers’ Federation (CFSWF). The union is working with three main sectors: entertainment services; general services; and food and beverage production workers. CFSWF organises local groups/unions and activists, raising awareness about their rights, doing advocacy, campaigns and capacity building, and empowering workers and union leaders, especially women, at the local and national level. As a woman representing workers unions, Tepphallin faces several challenges and she is often subjected to harassment, bullying, and attacks on social media.
In Cambodia, the crackdown on the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly intensified ahead of elections in 2017 and 2018. The authorities’ misuse of the justice system to silence human rights defenders and critical voices increased, while the security forces continued to harass and punish civil society. HRDs face threats, physical attacks, arrest, judicial harassment, arbitrary detention and killing for peacefully carrying out their work. Intimidation and heavy surveillance caused several to leave the country in fear for their safety. Peaceful protests continued to be hampered by the authorities.
