Human Rights Watch Concerns and Recommendations on Cambodia Submitted to the UN Human Rights Committee in advance of its Pre-Sessional Review of Cambodia
MARCH 4, 2015
MARCH 4, 2015
This updated memorandum provides an overview of Human Rights Watch’s concerns with respect to the current human rights situation in Cambodia, based on the organization's research in the country. It is submitted to the Human Rights Committee in advance of its upcoming pre-sessional review of that country. We hope it will inform the Committee's consideration of the Cambodian government’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. For additional information, please see Human Rights Watch’s country page on Cambodia: http://www.hrw.org/asia/cambodia.
Introduction
Cambodia became engulfed in an intensified human rights crisis after National Assembly elections on July 28, 2013. Final results announced by the National Election Committee (NEC), a body controlled by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), gave a majority to the CPP. The CPP has been in power since 1979, despite losing United Nations-administered elections in 1993. Independent domestic and international election observers concluded that successive National Assembly elections which the CPP claimed to have won in 1998, 2003, and 2008 lacked credibility. The NEC result for 2013 gave the CPP 68 seats and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) 55 seats. The assembly then chose Hun Sen as prime minister, a post he has held since 1985.
