كمبوديا/حقوق الإنسان: مقرر الأمم المتحدة الخاص يستهل بعثة جديدة لتقصي الحقائق

GENEVA / PHNOM PENH (7 January 2014) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Surya P. Subedi, will carry out an official visit to the country from 12 to 17 January 2014. This will be his first post-election fact-finding visit to Cambodia.

“My upcoming mission is part of my ongoing assessment of the situation of human rights in Cambodia,” Mr. Subedi said, noting that he will also be examining the progress made towards establishing an independent human rights institution.

During his five-day mission, the independent expert will meet with the Prime Minister, Samdech Hun Sen and other senior members of the Royal Government. He is also expected to meet with human rights defenders, representatives from civil society organisations and communities as well as the United Nations Country Team and the donor community.

The Special Rapporteur undertakes regular visits to Cambodia and reports annually to the UN Human Rights Council. Since his appointment in March 2009, the expert has made nine visits to the Kingdom of Cambodia to date and has presented six reports.

In his latest report*, Mr. Subedi urged the Cambodian Government “to speed up the process of promised reform of State institutions responsible for protecting and promoting human rights and to accelerate the process of democratization of the country so that the benefits of economic growth can be shared equitably by all in the country.”

Mr Subedi will present his next report to the Human Rights Council at its September 2014 session.

The Special Rapporteur will hold a press conference on Thursday 16 January, at 2 pm, at Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, N° 10, Street 302, Boeng Keng Kang 1, Phnom Penh.

Professor Surya P. Subedi (Nepal) was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council as the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Cambodia in March 2009. As Special Rapporteur, he is independent from any government or organisation, and serves in his individual capacity. He is currently Professor of International Law at the University of Leeds and a practising Barrister in the United Kingdom. He also is the editor of the Asian Journal of International Law (published by Cambridge University Press) and the Vice-President of the Asian Society of International Law.

(*) Check the Special Rapporteur’s latest report to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/24/36): http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session24/Pages/ListReports.aspx

UN Human Rights, country page – Cambodia: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AsiaRegion/Pages/KHIndex.aspx

For additional information and media enquiries, please contact:
In Phnom Penh: Benjamin Rutledge (+855 012 476 494 / brutledge@ohchr.org
In Geneva: Ms. Olga Nakajo (+41 22 928 9348 / onakajo@ohchr.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

UN Human Rights, follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unitednationshumanrights
Twitter: http://twitter.com/UNrightswire
Google+ gplus.to/unitednationshumanrights
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/UNOHCHR
Storify: http://storify.com/UNrightswire

Watch Navi Pillay’s Human Rights Day message: http://youtu.be/dhX-KbVbEQ0