Cambodia officially withdraws citizenship: tool of repression defies international laws

Stripping of Nationality: The New Chapter of Cambodian Repression

The Cambodian government has finalized a sub-decree that sets out the process for the arbitrary stripping of citizenship, a move that experts and international organizations say poses a serious threat to human rights and legal stability in the Southeast Asian nation. The initiative, which solidifies in law the state's ability to strip individuals of their nationality, has been widely condemned as a tool for silence critical voices and create stateless people, in flagrant disregard for international standards.

The promulgation of this sub-decree, on January 23, 2026, follows a previous amendment to the Nationality Law, approved by the National Assembly in August 2025. The Khmer Times reported at the time that the amendment was in line with Article 49 of the Constitution, which requires “every Cambodian citizen to defend the national interest and do not take any action, directly or indirectly, that harms the interests of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Cambodian people.” However, the way this “defense of national interest” is interpreted and applied raises deep concerns.

Historically, the issue of citizenship in Cambodia already had a structure that, although it required a sub-decree to formalize procedures, concentrated power in the hands of the government. According to information from Refworld, dated 2025, only people of Khmer nationality can be entitled to receive and carry identity documents and passports from the Kingdom of Cambodia, with the formality and procedure for applying for nationality being determined by a sub-decree. What is observed now, however, is the implementation of a mechanism that organizations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) classify as “ill-defined”, setting dangerous precedents.

The central point of the conflict lies in the ambiguity of the process. HRW, in a statement dated January 23, 2026, highlighted that although the sub-decree instructs a committee to consider whether the person “may acquire another nationality or receive protection from a foreign state”, the lack of clarity on the criteria and the committee's discretion raises serious concerns about the possibility of Cambodian citizens being rendered stateless. This is where the situation becomes complicated, as statelessness deprives the individual of fundamental rights and legal protection, making them extremely vulnerable.

"Revoking a person's citizenship must not become a political tool to silence and intimidate critical voices, and the Cambodian authorities must immediately reverse the amendment, end their authoritarian practices and fulfill their international human rights and rule of law obligations," Amnesty International said in July 2025, when refer to the revised legislation.

The international repercussion has been unanimous in its condemnation. Both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International classify the measure as a “serious violation of international human rights law”. Amnesty, in a statement in July 2025, even described it as a “heinous” violation, warning that the Cambodian government “will abuse this power to suppress its critics.” This strategic contradiction between the government's justification of “defending the national interest” and the global warning about the repression of dissent exposes the heart of a clash between state power and individual freedoms.

The practical consequences of this law are vast and alarming. Not only can political critics and activists residing abroad have their citizenship revoked – a precedent that directly affects their ability to return to the country and their family and property ties – but it also creates a climate of fear among the population. Imagine 187 thousand Cambodians who, due to any manifestation considered “harmful” to the State, could lose their nationality. This legal uncertainty directly impacts the lives of ordinary people, who now live under the shadow of an arbitrary government decision.

The next steps will depend, to a large extent, on the reaction of the international community. Human rights organizations have urged governments to pressure Cambodian authorities, stressing that citizenship withdrawal should never be used as a weapon against political opponents. The effectiveness of the implementation of this sub-decree will be closely monitored, and each case of citizenship stripping will serve as a barometer of the real intention behind the legislation. In the coming months, the world will observe the concrete impact of this measure on the lives of Cambodians and the human rights landscape in Southeast Asia. Stay tuned for each development.