Cambodia restricts travel ahead of mass protests
The planned mass protests by the Cambodian opposition on September 7 in Phnom Penh have prompted the country’s authorities to impose unusual travel restrictions in southeastern Svay Rieng province, suspected for harbouring many supporters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) which opposes the July 28 election results.
So far, no travel restrictions have been reported in other provinces. But in Svay Rieng, people for the first time have been asked by police to produce identification papers to move outside their area, a fact that human rights groups see as a violation of the right of freedom of movement, accusing authorities of breaching the law.
The mass protests are scheduled on the eve of an expected September 8 announcement of final election results by the National Election Committee that could confirm preliminary findings that Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) has won a majority of the seats in the National Assembly, the country’s parliament.
CNRP chief Sam Rainsy, who has demanded an independent probe on the election irregularities, has accused the committee of stealing votes from the opposition and giving them to the CPP after initial results supported the ruling party’s claims that it won 68 parliamentary seats to the opposition’s 55. The CNRP claims it won at least 63 seats in the National Assembly.
The government has deployed additional military forces, tanks and armoured personnel carriers in the capital city ahead of the protests, saying security measures have to be taken to avoid any violence.
About 20 NGOs said they have made preparations to monitor the mass demonstration, adding that they would send legal teams and paramedics to the protest scene.
The planned mass protests by the Cambodian opposition on September 7 in Phnom Penh have prompted the country's authorities to impose unusual travel restrictions in southeastern Svay Rieng province, suspected for harbouring many supporters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) which opposes the July 28 election results. So far, no travel restrictions have been reported in other provinces. But in Svay Rieng, people for the first time have been asked by police to produce identification papers to move outside their area, a fact that human rights groups see as a violation of the right of freedom of movement, accusing...
The planned mass protests by the Cambodian opposition on September 7 in Phnom Penh have prompted the country’s authorities to impose unusual travel restrictions in southeastern Svay Rieng province, suspected for harbouring many supporters of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) which opposes the July 28 election results.
So far, no travel restrictions have been reported in other provinces. But in Svay Rieng, people for the first time have been asked by police to produce identification papers to move outside their area, a fact that human rights groups see as a violation of the right of freedom of movement, accusing authorities of breaching the law.
The mass protests are scheduled on the eve of an expected September 8 announcement of final election results by the National Election Committee that could confirm preliminary findings that Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) has won a majority of the seats in the National Assembly, the country’s parliament.
CNRP chief Sam Rainsy, who has demanded an independent probe on the election irregularities, has accused the committee of stealing votes from the opposition and giving them to the CPP after initial results supported the ruling party’s claims that it won 68 parliamentary seats to the opposition’s 55. The CNRP claims it won at least 63 seats in the National Assembly.
The government has deployed additional military forces, tanks and armoured personnel carriers in the capital city ahead of the protests, saying security measures have to be taken to avoid any violence.
About 20 NGOs said they have made preparations to monitor the mass demonstration, adding that they would send legal teams and paramedics to the protest scene.
