A/HRC/37/64 newspaper often critical of the Government — compelled it to close. In November, two former journalists of Radio Free Asia were arrested and charged with espionage, and face a sentence of 7–15 years of imprisonment if convicted. 8. Moreover, the Government ordered the closure of the office of the National Democratic Institute in Cambodia, alleging that some of the Institute’s training materials had revealed that it was colluding with the Cambodia National Rescue Party to ensure its victory in the 2018 elections. In September, the Government suspended for 30 days Equitable Cambodia, an organization working in the area of land rights. The authorities have not clarified whether the organization could resume its activities when the suspension came to an end. Also in September, the Ministry of Interior deregistered the environmental non-governmental organization (NGO) Mother Nature, and two of its members have since been in pretrial detention on charges related to attempts to film suspected illegal sanddredging activities. 9. More generally, administrative instructions by the Ministry of Interior requiring NGOs to notify local authorities three days in advance of all activities have been accompanied by an increased police presence, including undercover police, before and during activities or events. OHCHR has received a greater number of reports of intimidation of civil society organizations, and resulting fear among their staff. 10. On 18 December, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Secretary-General stated that the Secretary-General was concerned about the persistent narrowing of democratic space for political parties, media and civil society ahead of the 2018 national elections, and that democratic dialogue among all stakeholders was essential towards an increasingly peaceful and stable society in Cambodia.1 11. OHCHR has undertaken awareness-raising and training workshops to assist civil society work in favour of respect for freedom of peaceful assembly. It continued to disseminate the 2009 Law on Peaceful Demonstrations and its implementation guide. It also led three training workshops on the law that were attended by 114 members of civil society and community-based organizations, land activists and trade unionists from Banteay Meanchey, Koh Kong, Kampot and Kep Provinces. OHCHR was also invited by partners to deliver specialized sessions within broader training courses, for instance on provisions of the Law on Associations and Non-Governmental Organizations and of the Law on Peaceful Demonstrations, as well as on human rights monitoring, reaching 121 civil society actors. 12. OHCHR continued to help strengthen the human rights capacity of Cambodian civil society organizations to monitor progress in human rights. It conducted two training sessions on the methodology for human rights monitoring, fact-finding and reporting, and security and protection for 77 human rights workers from Phnom Penh, Kandal, Kampong Speu, Takeo, Preah Vihear, Kampong Thom, Banteay Meanchey, Oddor Meanchey, Kampong Cham and Siem Reap Provinces. Participants appreciated the relevance of the training to their daily work, particularly the importance of verifying information, analysing facts, systematically documenting and being aware of risks. 13. OHCHR continued monitoring public gatherings. For instance, in July, it monitored a gathering of about 30 human rights activists who had met in front of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to support land rights activist Tep Vanny when one of the cases against her came before the court. OHCHR also monitored the aborted gathering planned for September by the Cambodian National Rescue Party in memory of the victims of the 1997 grenade attack. It further observed a gathering of about 200 parliamentarians and supporters to call for the release of Mr. Sokha, whose pretrial hearing was taking place at the Appeal Court. 14. OHCHR also undertook five field missions to selected ethnic Vietnamese communities in Phnom Penh municipality and Kandal, Kompong Chhnang, Siem Reap and Kompong Thom Provinces to gain an understanding of the challenges they face regarding their legal status, access to school and other basic services, and discrimination. 1 See www.voacambodia.com/a/un-secretary-general-concerned-by-deteriorating-democratic-space-incambodia/4168302.html. 3