U.S. Mission to International
Organizations in Geneva

U.S. Statement at the Universal Periodic Review of Cambodia,

32^nd Session
Geneva, January 30, 2019 

as delivered by Jason Mack

The United States welcomes the Cambodian delegation.

We recommend that Cambodia:

1. Immediately and unconditionally reinstate the rights of members of the political opposition and release all persons who have been arbitrarily detained, including Kem Sokha.
2. Immediately remove all undue restrictions on civil society and independent media, including withdrawing the inter-ministerial decision known as Prakas 170 on digital expression.
3. As previously committed to by the Government following Cambodia’s 2^ndUPR review, simplify and reform registration procedures for unions and other civil society organizations.

We remain gravely concerned about the serious decline in the respect for civil and political rights in Cambodia.  The Government’s suppression of the political opposition, independent media, and civil society, and undue restrictions on workers’ rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly resulted in July 29 parliamentary elections that were neither genuinely free nor fair.  Collectively, these developments substantially eroded Cambodia’s prior achievements in promoting political reconciliation and economic growth.