Cambodia’s National Assembly has unanimously passed a controversial law that could strip individuals of their citizenship for colluding with foreign entities, raising alarms among rights groups who fear it will be weaponized to silence dissent. The legislation, approved on August 25 by all 120 attending lawmakers including Prime Minister Hun Manet, marks a significant shift in the country’s legal framework and has drawn sharp criticism for its potential to undermine fundamental freedoms.
A Sweeping Legal Change
The new bill empowers the Cambodian government to revoke citizenship on grounds of perceived disloyalty or treason, a move that rights monitors argue lacks clear definitions and safeguards. While the legislation still requires approval from the upper house and enactment by the head of state—steps widely seen as formalities—its passage in the lower house signals a firm intent by the ruling administration to tighten control over political expression.
This legal shift follows a recent constitutional amendment that altered the previously unconditional right to citizenship. Where the Cambodian constitution once enshrined this right, it now stipulates that “receiving, losing, and revoking Khmer nationality shall be determined by law.” Justice Minister Koeut Rith defended the change, stating to reporters after the amendment’s passage, “If you betray the nation, the nation will not keep you.” 
The law’s proponents argue it aligns with practices in other nations. According to a February briefing by the European Parliament, 15 European Union countries permit citizenship revocation on grounds like treason, though often with restrictions such as applying only to naturalized citizens in eight of those nations. However, critics in Cambodia caution that the vague wording of the legislation leaves it open to abuse, particularly in a country with a history of using legal mechanisms to target opposition voices.
Rights Groups Sound the Alarm
A coalition of 50 rights organizations issued a joint statement on August 24, condemning the bill as vaguely written and warning of its disastrously chilling effect on the freedom of speech of all Cambodian citizens. The statement highlighted the potential for the law to be used against individuals based on their ethnicity, political opinions, or activism, asserting that the government should not have the power to arbitrarily decide who is and is not a Cambodian.
Amnesty International has also criticized the legislation, labeling it a heinous violation of international law. Montse Ferrer, the organization’s regional research director, pointed to the broader context of Cambodia’s judicial system, stating on July 25 that the law emerges “against a backdrop where the Cambodian authorities have completely failed to safeguard the independence and integrity of the country’s courts.” Ferrer argued that this failure has enabled unchecked authoritarian practices, including the persecution of opposition leaders, activists, and independent journalists.
The concerns are not abstract. Cambodia’s recent history is marked by the suppression of dissent through legal means. Scores of opposition activists currently face legal action or imprisonment on charges widely seen as politically motivated. A prominent example is opposition leader Kem Sokha, who was sentenced in 2023 to 27 years in prison for treason—a charge he has consistently denied—and placed under house arrest immediately after the verdict.
A Pattern of Repression
The citizenship law is the latest in a series of measures that rights groups say are designed to stifle legitimate political debate. Over the past decade, the Cambodian government, led by the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), has faced accusations of using draconian laws to dismantle opposition movements. The CPP has maintained a near-monopoly on power since the early 1980s, with Hun Sen—Hun Manet’s father—ruling as prime minister for nearly four decades before stepping down in 2023 to hand over leadership to his son.
Under Hun Sen’s tenure, the government dissolved the main opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), in 2017 ahead of national elections, citing alleged collusion with foreign powers. Many of its leaders, including Kem Sokha, faced legal consequences, while others fled into exile. Independent media outlets have also been shuttered or forced to self-censor, and civil society organizations operate under intense scrutiny. The new citizenship law, critics fear, provides yet another tool for the state to target perceived enemies, potentially stripping them of their national identity and legal protections.
The law’s broad language raises specific concerns about its application. Without precise criteria for what constitutes collusion with foreign countries, the legislation could be interpreted to encompass a wide range of activities, from international advocacy to critical social media posts. This ambiguity, rights groups argue, creates a climate of fear where citizens may self-censor to avoid repercussions, further eroding democratic space in a country already ranked as not free by global democracy indices.
Regional and International Implications
Cambodia’s move to enact such a law does not occur in isolation. Across Southeast Asia, governments have increasingly adopted legal frameworks that prioritize state security over individual rights, often citing national sovereignty as justification. In neighboring Thailand and Vietnam, for instance, laws on cybersecurity and lèse-majesté have been used to curb dissent, though the mechanisms and contexts differ. Cambodia’s citizenship law, however, stands out for its direct threat to a fundamental right—nationality—potentially rendering individuals stateless, a condition that international law seeks to prevent under the 1954 and 1961 UN Conventions on Statelessness, to which Cambodia is a party.
Internationally, the law could strain Cambodia’s relations with foreign governments and organizations that have already expressed concern over its human rights record. The European Union, a significant trade partner, partially withdrew Cambodia’s preferential trade status in 2020 due to democratic backsliding, affecting sectors like garments and footwear that employ hundreds of thousands of Cambodians. Further legislative moves perceived as repressive may prompt additional sanctions or diplomatic pressure, though the government has often deflected such criticism by deepening ties with China, a key economic and political ally. By making people Stateless, Cambodia makes this another countries problem. Countries most likely impacted are those in the ASEAN region, namely neighboring countries: Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.
For Cambodian citizens, particularly those engaged in activism or opposition politics, the law introduces a new layer of vulnerability. Revocation of citizenship could mean loss of access to legal protections, property rights, and the ability to travel or seek asylum, effectively isolating individuals from their communities and the international system. The psychological impact is also significant—living under the constant threat of being deemed un-Cambodian by the state could deter even moderate criticism of government policies.
Looking Ahead
As the citizenship bill moves toward final approval, its long-term impact on Cambodia’s political landscape remains uncertain. Will it become a rarely used deterrent, or a frequently wielded weapon against dissent? The answer may depend on how the government chooses to interpret and enforce the law, as well as the response from civil society and the international community.
For now, the unanimous vote in the National Assembly underscores the ruling party’s determination to consolidate power, even at the cost of international condemnation. Yet, as rights groups continue to document and challenge such measures, the voices of ordinary Cambodians—those most at risk of losing their identity under this law—must remain central to the debate. Their freedom to speak, to criticize, and to belong hangs in a precarious balance.
