Cambodia National Assembly Approves Citizenship Revocation Amendment

Cambodian lawmakers unanimously amended Article 33 of the constitution to allow the government to revoke citizenship from individuals found guilty of conspiring with foreign powers to harm national interests. This amendment, passed amid escalating border tensions with Thailand, changes the previous constitutional guarantee that no Khmer citizen could be deprived of nationality except by mutual agreement. Prime Minister Hun Manet justified the amendment by emphasizing that true patriots would not betray the nation, while Justice Minister Koeut Rith indicated a law enabling citizenship revocation would soon be introduced. However, human rights groups, including Amnesty International, strongly criticized the amendment as a violation of international law that could be weaponized to suppress dissent and render critics stateless. The amendment raises concerns about potential misuse against opposition figures and contradicts protections under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Similar citizenship revocation measures exist in some European countries, but the Cambodian context has drawn alarm due to its potential to undermine political freedoms and rights.