UN Special Rapporteur Surya P. Subedi launches his final fact-finding mission to Cambodia

GENEVA / PHNOM PENH (13 January 2015) – United Nations human rights expert Surya P. Subedi will carry out an official visit to Cambodia from 17 to 25 January 2014. This is Mr. Subedi’s last mission in his capacity as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia as appointed by the UN Human Rights Council.

“My visit to the country is part of my overall assessment of the situation of human rights in Cambodia today,” the expert said. “In my last mission to the Kingdom, I will focus on the progress achieved towards making state institutions independent with particular reference to legal and judicial reform.”

Mr. Subedi is expected to meet with the Prime Minister and other senior members of the Royal Government during his nine-day mission. He will also meet with human rights defenders, representatives from civil society organisations and communities as well as the UN Country Team and the donor community.

Since his appointment as Special Rapporteur in March 2009, Mr. Subedi has made eleven visits to the Kingdom of Cambodia to date, and has presented seven reports to the UN Human Rights Council.

The independent expert presented his final report* to the Human Rights Council in September 2014, and will be completing his full term of six years in this position in March 2015 when a new mandate holder will be appointed.

The Special Rapporteur will hold a press conference at the end of his visit, on Friday 23 January at 3 p.m. at the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), 10 Street 302, Boeng Keng Kang 1, in Phnom Penh.

(*) Check the Special Rapporteur’s latest report to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/24/36): http://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/regular-sessions/session24/list-reports

Professor Surya P. Subedi was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council as the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Cambodia in March 2009. He is currently Professor of International Law at the University of Leeds and a practising Barrister in the United Kingdom. Professor Subedi 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. Learn more: http://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-cambodia

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

UN Human Rights, country page – Cambodia: http://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/cambodia
 
For additional information and media enquiries, please contact:
In Phnom Penh: Ms. Bushra Rahman, (+855 12 790 178 / brahman@ohchr.org)
In Geneva: Ms. Olga Nakajo (+41 22 928 9348 / +41 79 109 6874 / onakajo@ohchr.org) or write to srcambodia@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)  

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