The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia in Geneva has made public a press statement stressing, “The mandate of the Special Rapporteurs is to promote and protect human rights, not human wrongs.”
The full statement AKP received this evening reads as follows:
“The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia in Geneva utterly deplores the misleading, highly-politicised and selective remarks of some Special Rapporteurs, as to electoral environment ahead of July general elections in Cambodia and is therefore compelled to offer clarifications as follows:
1. To allege that the National Election Committee (NEC) “emphasised modalities that appear to have discriminated against one or more of the country’s main political parties” without offering further details is unwarranted. To deliver a free, fair, just and transparent voting process, the NEC has been employing only one single standard to all applicants. To do otherwise is deemed a double standard. The Candlelight Party was not the only one with failed registration due to its own mistake. Khmer National Unity Party is another political party that did not meet same the documentation obligation, but willingly accepted the decision of the authorities concerned.
2. Cambodia’s commitment to a multiparty democracy remains steadfast. Only when all political parties and their supporters exercise their rights within the boundary of the law can a conducive electoral environment be guaranteed. The absence of two political parties from the electoral process due to their non-compliance for the law does not negate the liberal, pluralistic and democratic nature of the Kingdom.
3. The call for an immediate release of Mr. Kem Sokha and other members law-breaking individuals is totally inappropriate. Crime is a crime, and it cannot be justified for other aspirations. Not all rights are absolute. All charges are imposed in response to constitutional and criminal breach, neither a political nor a fabricated motive. The defendants enjoyed full rights to be heard and full access to legal defence.
4. The Special Rapporteurs’ call for reinstating the licence of the Voice of Democracy is tantamount to their support for disinformation and unprofessional journalism in the Kingdom. This media outlet’s open engagement in fake news and grave professional misconduct is indisputable. The mandate of the Special Rapporteurs is to promote and protect human rights, not human wrongs.
5. Lastly, it is imperative that the Special Rapporteurs exercise their functions in strict observance of the Code of Conduct of the Special Procedures, which underline the importance of establishing facts, observing national legislations and the UN Charter, and refraining from politicisation and selectivity.”
Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse (AKP)