Cambodia human rights

A recent article in the government-aligned Khmer Times reflects the etiolated state of public discourse in the country.

In clamping down so hard on the speech of its citizens, the Cambodian government only reveals the depth of its insecurities.

In its attempt to woo Western governments, Prime Minister Hun Manet's government has sought to choke off critical commentary among overseas Cambodians.

The government has arrested an estimated 94 people for protesting an economic agreement with Vietnam and Laos.

Protesters claim that the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) treaty has led the country to cede territory and control over natural resources to Vietnam.

The government insists that Western countries keep out of its affairs. At the same time, it freely breaches their sovereignty in pursuit of outspoken critics.

The 10 activists, four of whom were arrested outside the court, are members of the group Mother Nature, which was deregistered in 2017.

The lawsuit, filed on Monday, is the latest sign that the country's rolling political crackdown is continuing under its new-look leadership.

The arrest of the three Cambodian dissidents came ahead of a state visit by Prime Minister Hun Manet on February 7.

Ny Nak's arrest comes four months after he was beaten up in broad daylight in the capital Phnom Penh.

The rights group Amnesty International claims that thousands of families have been evicted from the world-famous temples over the past year.