Phnom Penh: On January 22, 2025, Pav Sina led officials of the Collective Union of Movement of Workers (CUMW) to mark the 21st anniversary of the assassination of Chea Vichea in Phnom Penh. The gathering commemorated his enduring legacy in the struggle for workers’ rights and justice in Cambodia.

The wreath-laying ceremony and tributes by unions and civil society focused on demanding justice for Chea Vichea, a prominent union leader who was murdered on January 22, 2004. Although two men were later tried and acquitted, the real killer who shot Chea Vichea remains unknown.

Chea Vichea, the president of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC), was gunned down in broad daylight on January 22, 2004. Despite widespread calls for justice, the case remains unresolved. More than two decades later, Chea Vichea’s death continues to symbolize the risks faced by labor activists in their struggle for fair and better working conditions.

Chea Vichea was a prominent Cambodian labor leader and activist, known for his advocacy for workers’ rights, freedoms, and benefits. Born in 1967, he became the president of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) and played a key role in organizing the labor movement during the 1990s.

Chea Vichea was assassinated on January 22, 2004, sparking widespread protests and raising international awareness of labor rights, and his legacy continues to inspire better labor action in Cambodia.