Cambodia passes constitutional change allowing gov’t to revoke citizenship

Human rights activists fearfulness the determination approved by lawmakers could beryllium utilized to people governmental opponents.

Lawmakers successful Cambodia person amended the country’s constitution to let authorities that would spot citizenship stripped from those deemed to person colluded with overseas powers.

The law change, which was unanimously supported by 125 politicians successful the National Assembly connected Friday, has drawn disapproval from rights groups, which person expressed interest that it could beryllium utilized to people governmental opponents.

The authorities said it volition soon marque usage of the amendment.

Justice Minister Koeut Rith confirmed that a caller citizenship revocation measure would beryllium swiftly brought earlier parliament.

“If you betray the nation, the federation volition not support you,” helium said earlier dismissing critics’ unease astir the move.

The justness curate claimed that those who person not harmed the nationalist interests volition not beryllium stripped of their citizenship, adding that they mightiness inactive “face different charges”.

Before Friday’s vote, the constitution specified that Khmer citizens could suffer their citizenship lone “through communal agreement”.

However, aft being revised, Article 33 of the constitution present states that “receiving, losing and revoking Khmer nationality shall beryllium determined by law”.

Amnesty International condemned the alteration connected Friday, urging the planetary assemblage to criticise Cambodia implicit the decision.

“As the connection moves person to becoming reality, anyone who speaks retired against oregon opposes the ruling enactment volition beryllium astatine hazard of having their citizenship revoked,” the NGO’s determination probe director, Montse Ferrer, said.

“We are profoundly acrophobic that the Cambodian government, fixed the powerfulness to portion radical of their citizenship, volition misuse it to ace down connected its critics and marque them stateless.”

Last month, Hun Sen, the influential erstwhile Cambodian premier minister, called for the constitution to beryllium changed truthful Cambodians could beryllium stripped of their citizenship.

This came aft exiled absorption figures condemned the authorities implicit its ongoing borderline quality with Thailand.

Former absorption person Sam Rainsy, who lives successful exile to debar being sent to prison, was among those Hun Sen accused of speaking against the interests of the nation.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies