A group of 12 international and local human rights organizations sent a letter to the U.N. Human Rights Council on Thursday urging it to support a resolution addressing “the deteriorating human rights situation in Cambodia.”
The letter comes as the Human Rights Council prepares for its 30th regular session, which begins on September 14.
“In the runup to local and national elections scheduled for 2017 and 2018, the Cambodian Government…has taken steps to further restrict Cambodian citizens’ rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, and to limit the political opposition’s ability to meaningfully engage in policymaking,” the letter said.
It calls on the U.N. to pass a resolution calling on the Cambodian government to respect its international human rights obligations, noting a recent increase in the use of lethal force against sometimes violent protesters and legal attacks against rights workers, activists, unionists and opposition politicians.
“Such a resolution will reaffirm the U.N.’s historical responsibility to support the Cambodian people’s quest for justice, democracy, human rights and the rule of law,” the letter said.
