Cambodia Citizenship Stripping Process Faces Sharp Criticism

Cambodia citizenship stripping has moved into a dangerous new phase following formal government instructions that allow authorities to revoke nationality without any form of judicial review or right of appeal. Lawmakers debated amendments to the nationality law at the National Assembly on August 25, 2025, marking a decisive shift in how the Cambodian state can exercise power over citizenship. Concerns are mounting that these new powers will be weaponized against political opponents and peaceful critics in an already repressive environment.

On January 22, 2025, Prime Minister Hun Manet publicly shared the Sub-Decree on Implementing the Law on Nationality. This followed earlier constitutional and legal amendments that overturned long-standing protections explicitly barring citizenship revocation. With those safeguards removed, the executive branch now holds sweeping authority over who remains a citizen of Cambodia.

Legal Framework Enables Arbitrary Revocation The sub-decree outlines four broad grounds for stripping Cambodian nationality : committing treason, collaborating with foreign entities, undermining national security, or being convicted of crimes such as treason or defaming the king. In practice, these charges are frequently deployed through politically motivated prosecutions by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, raising serious concerns about abuse.

High-profile opposition figures Kem Sokha and Sam Rainsy of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party have already faced treason convictions. Environmental activists from Mother Nature Cambodia have also been prosecuted and imprisoned under similar accusations. Under the new framework, a criminal conviction is no longer required at all. A government-appointed committee, chaired by the interior minister and staffed entirely by state officials, will investigate cases and recommend citizenship revocation without independent oversight.

Absence Of Due Process And Risk Of Statelessness Procedural safeguards normally associated with citizenship decisions are entirely absent. No administrative appeal, no judicial review, and no independent mechanism exist to challenge committee decisions. This structure directly contradicts international legal standards that guarantee the right to an effective remedy.

While the sub-decree vaguely instructs the committee to consider whether an individual “may acquire another nationality or receive protection from a foreign state,” the lack of defined criteria creates a real risk of statelessness. Rendering individuals stateless violates core international norms and exposes affected persons to severe legal, social, and economic harm.

Political Repression Through Citizenship Control Citizenship revocation as a political tool deepens Cambodia’s pattern of suppressing dissent through legal mechanisms. Stripping nationality not only silences critics but also removes their access to basic rights, travel documents, property protections, and political participation. This development signals a further consolidation of executive power with minimal accountability.

Governments engaging with Cambodia should raise these concerns directly with authorities and make clear that citizenship stripping used against political opponents violates international law . Diplomatic pressure remains one of the few external levers available to discourage further abuse. Cambodia, Human Rights, Global Affairs, International Relations