human rights defender

PECH Pisit

Urgent support needed

Legal aid and social support for the victim and his family.

Organization affiliation

  • Coalition of Apparel & Industry Union (Coalition-Al)
  • Democratic Union of Garment Workers of Man Ou Garment Co., Ltd

HRD's year of birth

1984

HRD's Gender

Man

Type of HRD

  • Trade union leader

HRD's thematic area of engagement

  • Labour rights

HRD's geographical origin

Rural

HRD's bio and work

PECH Pisit, 42, is the President and a Standing Committee Member of the Democratic Union of Garment Workers of Man Ou Garment Co., Ltd, in Prey Nop District, Preah Sihanouk Province. He is also the 3rd Vice President of the Coalition of Apparel & Industry Union (Coalition-Al) in Preah Sihanouk Province.

Current Status

In prison (sentenced)

Detained since

Sep 16, 2025

Charge(s)

  • Other

Sentence

On 25 March 2026, Pisit was convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, that sentenced him to two years in prison and a fine of four million riels (around USD$1,000) for public insult and incitement to discriminate.

Latitude: 11.48867

Longitude: 104.84494

Geolocation of detention

Country or area of detention

Region of detention

  • Asia: South-eastern Asia

Location of detention - City/Town

Phnom Penh

Location of detention - Facility

Correnctional Center 1 in Phnom Penh

Recent case update / evolution

On 16 September 2025, Pisit was arrested in Preah Sihanouk Province and transferred to the Phnom Penh Municipal Police Headquarter. He was charged on 19 September with public insult and incitement to discriminate under Articles 307, 494 and 496 of the Cambodia Criminal Code. He was then sent to pre-trial detention. The changes against Pisit were related to comments he made on a Facebook page of Sok Kin, President of the Building and Wood Workers Trade Union Federation of Cambodia (BWTUC) and Chair Board of Cambodia Labor Confederation (CLC) on 12 September. Mr. Sokin filed a complaint against Pisit, demanding 80 million riels (about US$20,000) in compensation. On 25 March 2026, Pisit was convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, that sentenced him to two years in prison and a fine of four million riels (around USD$1,000) for public insult and incitement to discriminate. Pisit has been detained in Phnom Penh's Correctional Center 1 (CC1) since September 2025.

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