Tuesday, 20 May 2008

US pledges 2 million dollars towards Cambodian justice system

M&G , Asia-Pacific News
May 20, 2008

Phnom Penh - The United States will donate 2 million dollars towards a public information board in all Cambodian courts to help both victims and accused criminals understand their legal rights, the US embassy said in a press release Tuesday.

The donation is provided through USAid and managed by East-West Management, will 'help the public gain greater information about the court', the release said.

Cambodia has recently overhauled its penal code, and one of the legacies left from 30 years of civil war and the 1975-79 Khmer Rouge regime is a general public fear and lack of understanding of authorities such as courts and the police.

The Cambodian government itself has also acknowledged that corruption is endemic in the post-war nation, making achieving justice for the millions of Cambodia's poor very difficult.

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