Rights Groups Rebuke Petitions Endorsing CPP Election Win

Rights groups on Wednesday called on authorities to stop circulating petitions asking people to support preliminary results from last month’s national election showing a win for the ruling CPP and promising not to join any demonstration called by the opposition. With both the CPP and opposition CNRP claiming victory amid unresolved claims of widespread irregularities and final results still pending, rights groups are accusing authorities of pressuring people into endorsing the petitions and breaching their freedom of expression. “This act is a new form of intimidation in the aftermath of the July 28 national election and gravely violat[es] the Cambodia[n] National Constitution, particularly on the rights to freedom of expression of the voters,” said the NGOs, which included Adhoc, Licadho and the Community Legal Education Center. “This act has clearly threatened and breached the rights to confidentiality of voters and this has also intensified tension and potential fear which is currently happening in Cambodia,” the groups added. Vendors and motorcycle taxi and cyclo drivers around O’Russei market said Wednesday market staff had gone around collecting thumbprints on Monday. …

 The Cambodia Daily
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/elections/rights-groups-rebuke-petitions-endorsing-cpp-election-win-40506/