IN A chilling “message of intimidation,” Cambodian authorities on Tuesday arrested three land rights activists on charges of plotting against the government and planning to provoke a peasant revolution.

The activists have been accused of teaching farmers about class divisions between rich and poor, an official said on Tuesday.

Theng Savoeun, president of the Coalition of Cambodian Farmer Community, and his colleagues Nhel Pheap and Than Hach were charged on Monday by a court in the country’s north-east with plotting against the state and incitement to commit a felony, said Am Sam Ath of the local rights group Licadho.

He said plotting against the government carries a possible prison term of five to 10 years, while incitement to commit a felony is punishable by six months to two years. 

He described the charges as sending “a message of intimidation” to civil society groups.

The three arrested men were not available for comment.

The arrests in Ratanakiri province came as Cambodia prepares for a general election in July. 

The opposition Candlelight Party, the sole group posing a credible challenge to the governing party, was not allowed by the National Election Committee to contest the polls.

Interior Ministry spokesperson General Khieu Sopheak said the three were arrested because their activities violated the law and were outside the main goals of their organisation, which he said were to teach farmers more productive agricultural techniques.

He said the workshop instead discussed political issues such as the division between rich and poor and how to incite farmers to hate the rich.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement on Wednesday: “Fabricating these bogus charges against prominent civil society leaders shows how far the government is willing to go to silence critics in advance of the Cambodian elections in July.”