The draft Law on Public Order accessed by VOA Khmer will likely regulate and criminalize public behavior and business activity, rights activists said Tuesday, by targeting the actions of the poorer sections of society and working classes.
The wide-ranging law, drafted by the Interior Ministry, will give authoritative control to officials, all the way down to the commune council, to regulate Cambodians’ behavior and activities in public spaces, through several prohibitions that can be enforced by vaguely defined and discretionary powers.
The draft law deals with multiple aspects of the community, such as the aesthetic look of public spaces, how much noise people can make, and the Ministry of Interior’s interpretation of national tradition and people’s dignity.
