AKP Phnom Penh, July 11, 2025 --

Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice H.E. Koeut Rith stated today that the law on the revocation of Cambodian citizenship from individuals convicted of treason aims to "purify and safeguard" the nation’s patriotism.

The remarks followed the National Assembly’s approval of a draft constitutional amendment to Article 33.

Speaking at a press conference, the Justice Minister urged critics to examine similar laws globally before alleging Cambodia violates international norms.

"Some extremist groups claim this law constitutes genocide," H.E. Koeut Rith said. "Such accusations are baseless, uninformed, and lack research."

He emphasised that over 150 countries—including major democracies like the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Italy, Belgium and nations across Asia such as Singapore, India, and South Korea—have laws permitting citizenship revocation. More than 28 Asian and 18 European nations maintain such provisions.

"If revoking citizenship is genocide, are all 150 countries committing genocide?" he challenged. "Critics must study the laws of these nations—many strong democracies—before leveling accusations."

H.E. Koeut Rith clarified the law targets only those who betray Cambodia, protecting the ideals of loyal citizens: "We remove the 'rotten fish.' True patriots deserve protection; we cannot allow a few individuals without national ideals to damage the collective patriotism of our people."

The constitutional amendment aligns with Cambodia’s efforts to strengthen national security and unity, reflecting global practices for handling acts of treason.

By K. Rithy Reak