The Interior Ministry has issued a statement urging 23 political parties it says are operating without proper registration to rectify the situation before continuing any activities.
The statement, which was issued on Friday, said the ministry was aware of 67 parties in the country and that 23 were operating illegitimately.
“The Interior Ministry has seen some political parties that were requested to be established…have been doing activities without being registered or awarded validity,” the statement said.
Am Veasna, deputy director of the department of associations and political parties at the ministry, said the 23 parties would be prevented from conducting political activities if they did not register.
“Their mistakes have mostly been putting up their signboards in public places,” he said. “The Interior Ministry will take actions against them…but I cannot say [those actions] now.”
Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the ministry, said unregistered parties were banned from any activity except collecting the 4,000 thumbprints required to register.
Both officials said they did not have the list of 67 parties handy.
