UN Rep asked to focus on public assembly ban

The U.N.’s deputy high commissioner for human rights, Flavia Pansieri—who is on a week­long mission in Cambodia —has been asked to address an arbitrarily enforced ban on public assemblies, which has been in place since January. In a letter dated Monday, Muth Chantha, secretary-general of the Nationalism Party, says the ban is a “gross violation” of at least two articles in the Constitu­tion. ... Reached by telephone, Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan said Mr. Chantha had the right to ask for pressure to be put on Mr. Hun Sen, but added: “It’s a temporary ban, because since that ban, everybody is happy. Phnom Penh has gone back to being normalized.”

Lauren Crothers
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/un-rep-asked-to-focus-on-public-assembly-ban-57654/