Cambodia: UN human rights expert concerned by ‘succession’ plans, urges structural reforms

GENEVA (9 October 2023) – A UN expert today called for structural reforms in Cambodia following a “restricted” general election in July, and said a planned hereditary succession to power raised serious concerns with respect to human rights, democratic principles and the international rule of law.

“There is an urgent need for comprehensive reforms to ensure the transparency and fairness of the 2023 elections, both in the electoral system and in the country's broader political and legal environment,” said Vitit Muntarbhorn, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia.

In his report to the Human Rights Council, Muntarbhorn examined the progress from the 2022 local elections to the 2023 national vote, while also assessing the application of the 20 human rights benchmarks he identified in his previous report.

“A key challenge for implementing human rights benchmarks lies in the intergenerational power shift in the country, which is intertwined with the political and electoral processes and coupled with the restricted civic-political space,” the expert said, noting some progress in addressing socioeconomic issues.

In his report, the UN expert identified significant obstacles that could have affected the 2023 elections, including attempts to negatively influence the vote, disqualification of candidates, harassment of opposition members and concerns about the independence of the National Election Committee. He called for reforms such as a restructuring of the Committee, impartial recruitment of election staff and the presence of independent observers. He also highlighted mass trials, media restrictions and manipulation of the legal system.

The expert received reports of continued attacks, unjustified arrests and prosecutions of human rights defenders, journalists, political dissidents and others critical of the authorities. “The use of draconian laws creates challenges for individuals working on human rights and environmental issues, as they face significant pressure when interacting with authorities,” he said.

“Numerous human rights defenders and environmental activists remain in detention since the beginning of the year, with an increase in numbers compared to 2022,” the Special Rapporteur said. “Various political dissidents are being held in distant prisons, raising concerns about their freedom and well-being,” he said.

Muntarbhorn called for the immediate release of those detained and for the charges against them to be dropped.

*The expert: Mr. Vitit Muntarbhorn, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia

Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.