The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva has responded to remarks made by the Spokesperson of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding the 2022 commune council elections. The Cambodian Permanent Mission has called these remarks “one-sided” and provided highlights on why it believes the OHCHR Spokesperson’s comments are “far from flawless.”

On Thursday, 2 June, Spokesperson Liz Throssell of the UN Human Rights Office made comments of concern ahead of the local elections to be held in Cambodia on Sunday, 5 June. The Spokesperson wrote, “We are disturbed by the pattern of threats, intimidation and obstruction targeting opposition candidates ahead of communal elections in Cambodia on 5 June,” and said that the OHCHR believes that candidates have faced “numerous restrictions and reprisals that have hindered their activities, with imprisonment of a number of candidates that appears designed to curb political campaigning.”

In response to these remarks, the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations at Geneva released a press statement, stressing that “the OHCHR Spokesperson’s narrative is erroneous, politicized and selective,” and provided six points to show that the remarks were one sided and “far from flawless.”

First, the Permanent Mission states that it sees the timing of these comments as questionable, as they come after a reported failed attempt by a political element to sabotage voting. The Permanent Mission also highlight that the National Election Committee (NEC) of Cambodia have assessed that the electoral campaign over the past thirteen days has generally been held in a secured, safe, orderly and peaceful atmosphere free from intimidations

Second, the Cambodian Mission states that it sees the Spokesperson’s claim that some candidates have faced restrictions and intimidations as unwarranted, as the existing complaints among electoral contenders only reflect a mature and legitimate exercise of democracy and fundamental rights.

Third, the Cambodian Mission sees the Spokesperson’s allegation that opposition candidates are reluctant to register complaints as erroneous, citing how in Cambodia, the NEC ruled in favor of a protest lodged by an opposition candidate to cancel a monetary fine levied against him, and also decided to reserve the right to vote and stand for election of 15 opposition candidates.

Fourth, the press statement construes the OHCHR Spokesperson’s statement as “fraught with flawed and selective particulars,” particularly citing the lack of acknowledgment of how at least 32 former opposition leaders had their political rights reinstated with many also having formed additional six political parties to challenge the ruling party in the upcoming election.

Fifth, the Permanent Mission questions the OHCHR Spokesperson’s observance of the principles of objectivity, impartiality and non-selectivity comes, as it sees the Spokesperson’s narrative as endorsing one specific party as the current main opposition in Cambodia, thus underestimating many others.

As its sixth and final point, the Cambodian Mission reminds that it is incumbent upon the OHCHR to deliver its mandate in conformity with its founding UNGA Resolution, placing the OHCHR to function within the UN Charter and under the obligations to respect sovereignty and domestic jurisdiction of states. The press statement reads, “Genuine cooperation without any hidden agenda is expected from all UN agencies whose role is to support, not interfere in internal affairs of the member states.”

The 5th Commune/District Council Election of Cambodia will be held on Sunday, 5 June 2022, with the participation of 17 political parties in total. These parties will compete to hold 11,622 commune council seats from 1,652 communes and districts nationwide, with more than 9.2 million registered voters.