…Kem Ley’s killing occurred amid a sharp deterioration in the space for fundamental freedoms in Cambodia over the past year. Civil society group members, opposition leaders, and government critics have been arrested and subjected to judicial harassment, and in some cases, violence…

We remind the Cambodian Government that the state has a responsibility to ensure a safe and enabling environment for human rights defenders, civil society, and government critics to freely operate without fear of retaliation. We are highly concerned that this space is under severe threat in Cambodia. We therefore call on the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Ms. Rhona Smith, to take urgent note of this serious development and exercise her mandate to adequately respond to the increasing threats faced by civil society. We also call on all member states of the UN Human Rights Council to continue to closely observe the situation in the country in the lead-up to the Council’s discussion on Cambodia in September.

We call on the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) to fulfil its purpose to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of the ASEAN people, as stipulated by its Terms of Reference, at this critical juncture for human rights and democracy in Cambodia.

Lastly, we call on the international community to support Cambodia’s civil society in their campaigns to obtain the immediate release all political prisoners and an end to all human rights violations, including judicial harassment and attacks on human rights defenders and organisations working for the protection of human rights, democracy, and sustainable development.