Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the validity of reports of (a) human rights violations, (b) increased restraints on media and trade unions and (c) imprisonment of human rights campaigners by the state of Cambodia.

We are deeply concerned about steps taken by the Cambodian authorities and Supreme Court which undermine freedom of expression, assembly and prospects for free and fair elections. We have repeatedly raised our concerns at the dissolution of Cambodia’ s main opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP), the arrest of opposition leader Kem Sokha and the use of the Cambodian judiciary to impede human rights campaigners. On 18 May, the Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office underlined our concerns to the Cambodian Foreign Minister during a visit to Cambodia. He also met with leading human rights campaigners and civil society stakeholders. At the UN Human Rights Council in June, the UK expressed dismay at the continued democratic deterioration in Cambodia.