Human rights violations remain serious and systematic in Cambodia. More than 20 years after the end of the country’s civil conflict, the human rights situation is deteriorating markedly in the run-up to local and national elections (2017-18). The Cambodian government has recently moved to restrict citizens’ rights to free expression, peaceful assembly and association and to limit the political opposition’s ability to meaningfully engage in policy-making. It has also taken measures, including the Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO), to prevent civil society organizations from operating freely and independently. There has been an increase in the use of lethal and other excessive force against peaceful protests with impunity and instances of judicial harassment and legal attacks against human rights defenders, community activists, trade unionists and political opposition members and supporters.
The Human Rights Council should not allow Cambodia to drop any lower down its list of priorities at a time when the country’s human rights situation is worsening. It should send a signal to the government showing that it intends to continue to closely monitor and address the situation. In a joint letter released prior to HRC 30, FIDH, its member organizations in Cambodia, ADHOC and LICADHO, and nine other Cambodian and international human rights organizations called on the Council to adopt a resolution that extends the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur, reflects the deterioration of the situation on the ground, and calls on the Cambodian government to put an end to violations, to abide by its legal obligations and to establish a time-bound action plan for the implementation of UN recommendations. At HRC 30, this advocacy effort will be complemented by bilateral meetings with diplomatic missions.