In this joint submission to the UN Human Rights Committee, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) and ARTICLE 19 highlight the declining situation for freedom of expression, information, and assembly and make recommended calls we hope the Human Rights Committee will direct to the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) in pursuit of greater protections for freedom of expression, information, and assembly across the country.
This submission addresses questions from the Human Rights Committee, provides updates on the situation of freedom of expression, information, and assembly in Cambodia to be considered for Cambodia’s third periodic report, and corrects and clarifies information given by the RGC in its report as well as its reply to the List of Issues (LOI).
CCHR and ARTICLE 19 draw particular attention to legislative barriers to freedom of expression, information, and assembly, including the controversial Sub-Decree on the Establishment of the National Internet Gateway which is due to come into effect in Cambodia next month. Other key concerns include Cambodia’s shrinking space for press freedom, expression about the environment, and online expression as well as the increasing criminalisation of ‘fake news’. The submission also highlights the escalation of state interference in peaceful protests and increasing prohibitions on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.