Human rights activists concern the transfer accredited by lawmakers might be used to focus on political opponents.
Lawmakers in Cambodia have amended the nation’s structure to permit laws that might see citizenship stripped from these deemed to have colluded with international powers.
The constitutional change, which was unanimously supported by 125 politicians within the Nationwide Meeting on Friday, has drawn criticism from rights teams, which have expressed concern that it might be used to focus on political opponents.
The federal government stated it’ll quickly make use of the modification.
Justice Minister Koeut Rith confirmed {that a} new citizenship revocation invoice can be swiftly introduced earlier than parliament.
“When you betray the nation, the nation is not going to preserve you,” he stated earlier than dismissing critics’ unease concerning the transfer.
The justice minister claimed that those that haven’t harmed the nationwide pursuits is not going to be stripped of their citizenship, including that they could nonetheless “face different fees”.
Earlier than Friday’s vote, the structure specified that Khmer residents may lose their citizenship solely “by means of mutual settlement”.
Nevertheless, after being revised, Article 33 of the structure now states that “receiving, shedding and revoking Khmer nationality shall be decided by legislation”.
Amnesty Worldwide condemned the change on Friday, urging the worldwide group to criticise Cambodia over the choice.
“Because the proposal strikes nearer to changing into actuality, anybody who speaks out in opposition to or opposes the ruling occasion can be prone to having their citizenship revoked,” the NGO’s regional analysis director, Montse Ferrer, stated.
“We’re deeply involved that the Cambodian authorities, given the ability to strip individuals of their citizenship, will misuse it to crack down on its critics and make them stateless.”
Final month, Hun Sen, the influential former Cambodian prime minister, referred to as for the structure to be modified so Cambodians might be stripped of their citizenship.
This got here after exiled opposition figures condemned the federal government over its ongoing border dispute with Thailand.
Former opposition chief Sam Rainsy, who lives in exile to keep away from being despatched to jail, was amongst these Hun Sen accused of talking in opposition to the pursuits of the nation.