Human Rights Watch said Tuesday that the government of long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen is making a "naked grab for total power”. Cambodia's government took initial legal steps last week to dissolve the popular Cambodia National Rescue Party, the latest move to kneecap the opposition ahead of next year's general election. Human Rights Watch along with other rights groups and the European Union are calling on the government to drop the court case. "Governments that still insist Cambodia is democratically ruled should act to reverse this development, or share the blame for democracy's demise under Hun Sen's autocratic rule,” Human Rights Watch said. If the Supreme Court finds the opposition party guilty of violating the Political Party Law, not only would it be dissolved, but its leaders would be banned from involvement in politics for five years.

Source: Bangkok Post October 10, 2017 07:52 UTC