Maina Kiai calls on Cambodia government to lift ban on public assemblies

UN Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai

By STANDARD DIGITAL REPORTER

NAIROBI: UN Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai has asked the government of Cambodia to lift a ban on public gathering that has been in force for a month.

Speaking after he completed a three-day unofficial visit to Cambodia, where he met with a range of civil society leaders, activists and government officials Kiai said:

“The government has absolutely no right to kill people when they march peacefully, that is not acceptable under international law. The use of force needs to be proportional and it needs to be measured as well.”

The ban follows months of massive post-election protests, which the government of Cambodia responded to with a broad crackdown on public demonstrations, which has left at least four people dead, dozens injured, and a number of activists imprisoned in the past month.

A statement also said Kiai met and raised the issue of the blanket protest ban with Secretary of State for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ouch Borith, and called upon the government to lift the ban as soon as possible.

Kiai also requested that Cambodia invite him for an official visit in his capacity as UN Special Rapporteur.

“From what I’ve seen in the past few days, Cambodia is going to be close to me and my work,” Kiai said.

Kiai also focused on Cambodia’s proposed Law on Associations and Non-governmental Organizations, a draft of which was reportedly approved by the Council of Ministers during his visit.

The law is now expected to move to the National Assembly for a vote, despite the fact that 55 opposition CNRP lawmakers have yet to take their seats, in protest over what they call fraudulent elections in July.