An international watchdog group has added Cambodia to its watch list of countries that have seen a “rapid decline in civic freedoms,” citing the country’s sustained crackdown on unions, human rights defenders, and the political opposition.
The CIVICUS Monitor, an online platform that tracks the latest developments to civic freedoms across the world, said yesterday that the country had been added to the list, which also includes the likes of Iran, Peru, Sudan and Zimbabwe, “due to serious concerns about restrictions on fundamental freedoms, ahead of elections in mid-2023.”
“Repressive laws are routinely misused to restrict civic freedoms and criminalize human rights defenders, trade unionists, youth activists, journalists, opposition politicians and other critical voices,” the group said in a statement announcing the change.
In full: https://thediplomat.com/2023/02/watchdog-group-adds-cambodia-to-human-rights-watch-list/
