International Mechanism Submissions

Since Cambodia's second periodic report to the UN Human Rights Committee (Committee) in 2015, the country's human rights situation has worsened significantly. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian People's Party (CPP), the government continues to infringe on the basic rights of political and intellectual dissidents. The July 2018 elections included no organized opposition to challenge the CPP after a November 2017 Supreme Court decision dissolved the leading political opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP). Indeed, Sen's decades-long rule may continue indefinitely as he continues to consolidate power and deny perceived opponents their rights to assembly and speech. The government has also cracked down on the functions of human rights groups and independent media organizations, passing restrictive laws and issuing fabricated charges. In addition, detention conditions in the country remain dangerous as overcrowding, infrastructure problems, and lengthy pretrial detention are commonplace.

The Advocates has received direct information about the human rights violations detailed in this stakeholder report from Cambodian human rights defenders and diaspora members in the United States. Credible information from secondary sources supplements their first-hand accounts. This stakeholder report addresses Cambodia's failure to comply with its international human rights obligations and makes recommendations to address and improve the human rights situation in Cambodia.