Cambodia’s government on Tuesday came under international fire after the only credible challenger to the ruling party of strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen was disqualified from contesting the upcoming general election.
On Monday, the National Election Committee (NEC) barred the opposition Candlelight Party from registering for the July 23 polls, saying it failed to provide the necessary documents. It was the only party out of 19 prevented from registering, and intends to appeal.
The party was reportedly asked to provide original registration documents from the interior ministry, which it said had been taken in a 2017 raid of the headquarters of its predecessors, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP).
