PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
On May 24 2012 after a three-hour trial with no defence lawyer or witnesses, 13 women from the Boeung Kak area were convicted for occupying state land and obstructing public officials, after they were arrested for gathering on the dunes of what is left of the lake.
The women were given between two and half and one year sentences. Ever since, supported by NGO’s and the international community, families and villagers have gone out to the streets of Phnom Penh to demand for their release on what some have called the ‘Lotus Revolution’.
On June 27 2012 a month and three days after the trial that sent them to prison; the 13 women appealed the court’s decision. Fearing unrest, the police closed the main streets neighbouring the Court of Appeal, where families and supporters gathered to wait on the verdict.
As the day started clashes with the police took place, leaving a few people injured including two children and a three-month pregnant woman who lost her unborn baby after being kicked in the stomach by the police.
Nonetheless, villagers kept calm and their hopes up for hours until news reached them announcing the reduction of the women’s sentence to the month and three days already served in prison.
Tears and cries of joy filled the streets; villagers danced and hugged each other on their most important victory since the 12.44 hectares were granted. Nonetheless, it was a half-hearted victory. The sentence was reduced based on the fact that most of the women have young children, but unlike supporters and NGO’s hopes the court did not drop the charges.
After attentively cleaning the streets where they had gathered for hours, hundreds of villagers moved to the prison where they waited patiently until 7:30pm when the women finally were released, and in a massive convoy of tuk-tuks and motorbikes were taken to the Boeung Kak Lake, where they were welcomed with a vast party. Two days after accompanied by their families and friends, the women visited Kean Cleang pagoda for a cleansing ceremony to release them of any bad luck for the future.
Before and impressive display of Cambodia’s armed forces, women and supporters cry out after they learned the court’s decision to sentence the 13 women to up to 2.5 years of prison. May 24 2012. © Erika Pineros 2012
A woman faints after learning the court’s decision to sentence the 13 BKL women to up to 2.5 years of prison. May 24 2012. © Erika Pineros 2012
Protestors are seeing in front of the prison demanding the women’s release. Children were the most noticeable attendants during the protests which followed the 13 BKL women’s sentence on May 24 2012. May 25 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
A guard stands by the prison’s gate during a demonstration. May 25 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
Supporters release balloons in a symbolic gesture in front of the prison where the 13 women were held. May 25 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
A demonstrator holds a sign and a lotus flower which became the symbol of this determined campaign. May 28 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
Armed with lotus flowers, demonstrators gather in front of the National Assembly to protest the sentence of the 13 BKL women. May 28 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
Demonstrators leave lotus flowers wrapped with ‘free the 15’ papers as a plea for help in front of the National Assembly. May 28 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
Following a tradition, a Boeung Kak resident sacrifices his hair in support to the convicted people in front of the National Assembly. May 28 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
Protesters where unified by their Free the 15 t-shirts. © Erika Pineros 2012
Having blocked the roads around the court, villagers protest in front of the riverside in Phnom Penh minutes after they learned a 3-month pregnant woman, who was beaten by the police hours earlier lost her unborn baby. June 27 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
Police form barricades in front of the crowd hours after the first clash, which left two women wounded. June 27 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
Children and villagers celebrate the release of the 13 women minutes after the good news reach them. The party went on until late into the night. June 27 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
Mr. Kia, a village leader walks towards the police holding a scale of justice sign before he thanks them for the court’s decision to release the 13 women from the Boeung Kak community. June 27 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
Villagers celebrate and dance in front of the prison while they wait for the release of the 13 Boeung Kak women. June 27 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
Villagers get ready for the 13 women’s release. The release was meant to take place at 3pm, but it was delayed until 7:30pm. The villagers waited patiently without losing their high spirits. © Erika Pineros 2012
Despite the long wait, villagers kept their good spirits until the release of the women at 7:30pm. June 27 2012© Erika Pineros 2012
Tep Vanny –one of the 13 released women – is received by family and friends outside the prison. June 27 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
The 13 women were received by family and friends outside the prison with tears of joy, flowers, music and other totems of good luck. June 27 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
The released women scream of joy and victory after their release out of prison. © Erika Pineros 2012
Screams of joy by Mr Kia, a village leader during the convoy from the prison back to the Boeung Kak lake. © Erika Pineros 2012
The 13 women were received at Boeung Kak Lake with a massive party by the villagers. June 27 2012 © Erika Pineros 2012
Two days after their release, the 13 women accompanied by friends and family visit Kean Cleang pagoda for a ceremony to release them of any bad luck for the future. June 29 2012. © Erika Pineros 2012
Buddhist monks perform a cleansing ceremony to the 13 women, friends and family to release them of any bad luck for the future. June 29 2012. © Erika Pineros 2012
