On October 2nd, HRN gave an oral statement t0 the Human Rights Council expressing deep concern over the arbitrary arrests and repression by Cambodia’s government against those expressing critical or dissenting views, calling on it to release all persons arbitrarily arrested, repeal repressive laws, and end its campaign of repression.
The statement can be viewed below and on the UN’s streaming site from this link.
A transcript of the statement is below the video.
Oral Statement on Cambodia
Human Rights Now remains deeply concerned about continuing arbitrary arrests and repression by Cambodia’s government against political opposition members, journalists and media workers, environmental, land rights, labor, and other activists, union leaders, and others taking dissenting views or actions.
At least 82 persons were arbitrarily arrested for speech or activism in 2025, the number reached a record high of 131 in April 2026, and at least 117 remain imprisoned as of August 2026.
Underlying these numbers is the increased use of incitement and plotting charges and targeting of online speech to arbitrarily criminalize legitimate criticism.
Among those arrested were leaders, members, or former members of political parties including Candlelight, Khmer Will, Nation Power, and CNRP, as well as journalists including Luot Sophal, Phorn Sopheap, Pheap Pheara, and Hem Vanna. RSF’s 2026 World Press Freedom Index ranked Cambodia 151st out of 180 countries due to persistent crackdowns on journalists. July 2nd was also the second anniversary of the 2022 conviction of the five Mother Nature activists.
Cambodia has also been developing measures for further pressuring or cracking down on dissenting voices including the “Smart Police” initiative, which includes overbroad data collection and surveillance measures, and a measure to revoke citizenship that may be applied to arbitrarily convicted critics.
We call on Cambodia’s government to release all persons arbitrarily arrested, repeal repressive laws, and end its campaign of repression against critics.