New Cambodian law allows citizenship revocation for undermining national security

• Cambodia has enacted constitutional amendments and a new nationality law allowing the government to revoke the citizenship of individuals accused of treason, collusion with foreign powers, or undermining national security.
• Human rights organizations and civil society groups warn the law is a tool to suppress dissent and risks rendering citizens stateless, stripping them of all fundamental rights.
• Critics note the law lacks explicit safeguards against creating statelessness, potentially impacting individuals who hold only Cambodian citizenship.

Legislative Background

• Proposed by former Prime Minister and current Senate President Hun Sen in June 2025, the amendments were passed by the National Assembly and Senate in July 2025.
• The "Sub-Decree on Implementing the Law on Nationality" was officially published on January 22, 2026.
• Prime Minister Hun Manet defended the measures as a necessary step to protect national interests, claiming law-abiding citizens have no reason for concern.

Implications and Risks

• The vague terminology regarding "national security" provides the government with wide discretion to target activists, political rivals, and critics.
• Stripping citizenship carries severe consequences, including the loss of rights to own land, access healthcare and education, work, marry, and travel.
• Over 50 civil society organizations expressed concern that the law could be used to institutionalize statelessness, violating international legal standards.

Judicial and Political Context

• Rights groups argue that Cambodia’s judicial system lacks the independence necessary to prevent the weaponization of these laws against political opponents.
• The law is seen as part of a broader pattern of suppressing dissent, following the closure of media outlets and the imprisonment of environmental activists, such as those from Mother Nature.
• Observers note that with rising border tensions with Thailand, the ruling party is consolidating control by criminalizing political opposition under the guise of nationalism.