Cambodia Parliament Passes Law Allowing Citizenship Stripping for Foreign Collusion

Cambodian lawmakers unanimously passed a controversial bill granting the government the authority to strip citizenship from individuals accused of colluding with foreign powers, a move criticized for potentially suppressing dissent against Prime Minister Hun Manet's administration. The legislation has raised significant concerns among human rights organizations, with over 50 groups warning that its vague language could be abused to target people based on ethnicity, political views, speech, and activism, thereby severely chilling free speech. Critics argue the law could arbitrarily determine Cambodian citizenship, threatening the rights of activists and opposition figures. The bill's passage follows heightened nationalism after a brief territorial conflict with Thailand, with Interior Minister Sar Sokha defending the measure as vital for national security and patriotism. Human rights monitors have consistently accused the Cambodian government of enacting harsh laws to stifle legitimate political debate, and this new citizenship law is viewed as a continuation of that pattern. The legislation's critics fear it will be used to silence and banish dissenters under the guise of protecting national interests.