36 Nations Criticize Government Over Rights Record

by Janelle Retka | September 15, 2016 | អានជាភាសាខ្មែរ

In a global censure of the CPP’s recent arrest and intimidation of the political opposition and other critics, 36 countries backed a statement on Wednesday urging the government to respect human rights “including the freedoms of expression, association and assembly.”

Presented during the ongoing 33rd U.N. Human Rights Council session in Geneva, the statement—supported by the 28 E.U. member states and the U.S., as well as Albania, Australia, Canada, Japan, Macedonia, Norway and Switzerland—called on the ruling party to de-escalate political tensions and respect the rule of law.

full-story......https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/36-n ... rd-118027/

This story mentions 38 countries:

38 Nations Criticize PM, Gov’t
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/29776/ ... --gov---t/


This one mentions 39. Maybe China joined in?
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/i ... red-geneva

The Cambodian Foreign Affairs Minister will be able to answer all queries next week when he attends the UNGA in New York. He will also be keen to discuss Cambodia's sustainable development goals.

Foreign Minister to Attend UN
Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn will attend the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) next week where he will join Asean foreign ministers, UN officials and heads of delegations from various countries, according to a statement from the Foreign Affairs Ministry yesterday.

The statement said Mr. Sokhonn will lead the Cambodian delegation to join the UN’s annual conference in New York from September 20 to 25.

“Senior Minister Prak Sokhonn will address his speech to participants under the theme of ‘The Sustainable Development Goals: a universal push to transform our world’ goals the world has been trying to make a reality to achieve better living standards for everyone on the planet,” the statement said...

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/29837/ ... attend-un/

UN Envoy, states slam Cambodia on rights
Thu, 29 September 2016
Cristina Maza and Bun Sengkong

Addressing the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva yesterday, Special Rapporteur for Cambodia Rhona Smith denounced the government for using the country’s judiciary as a weapon to stifle political opponents.

Outlining the findings of her first report on the human rights situation in Cambodia, Smith drew attention to a number of cases that appear to target the political opposition or activists who voice disapproval of the government.

“There is no doubt that certain laws are increasingly being used to stymie political debate and accountability,” Smith said. “Respect for the rule of law in a democratic society does not mean rule by law, with laws applied in a manner which restricts free political debate.”

Several of the most prominent cases mentioned in Smith’s 10-minute speech were the arrest of three activists from the environmental organisation Mother Nature, last week’s conviction of National Election Committee official Ny Chakrya, and the arrest and detention of human rights workers with the NGO Adhoc...

Full article: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/u ... dia-rights

Declining Rights Focus of UN Envoy Visit
by Sonia Kohlbacher | October 8, 2016 | អានជាភាសាខ្មែរ

The U.N.’s human rights envoy to Cambodia will arrive for her third fact-finding mission on Monday, weeks after addressing an annual U.N. Human Rights Council session where she warned of a deteriorating rights situation ahead of next year’s commune elections.

The U.N.’s local human rights office is currently operating without an agreement with the government due to divergent positions on wording that would prevent the U.N. from “interfering” in Cambodia’s affairs.

In a statement on Friday, the U.N.’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said special rapporteur Rhona Smith would focus her 10-day visit on the current human rights situation, and follow up on previous recommendations to the government.

“I aim to continue my examination of the theme of discrimination, with a focus this time on assessing the rights of ethnic minorities and marginalised groups,” Ms. Smith said in the statement...

https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/decl ... it-119037/