resolution motion, 25 November 2024
On the shrinking space for civil society in Cambodia, in particular the case of the labour rights organisation CENTRAL
Motion B-10-2024-0205 · (2024/2952(RSP))
on behalf of the PPE Group · Rapporteur: Sebastião Bugalho, David McAllister, Željana Zovko, Andrey Kovatchev, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Jan Farský, Danuše Nerudová, Vangelis Meimarakis, Davor Ivo Stier, Tomislav Sokol, Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Miriam Lexmann, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Jessica Polfjärd, Mirosława Nykiel, Inese Vaidere
AI:In short
The resolution condemns Cambodia's tightening control over civic space, fundamental freedoms and the media, and the crackdown on NGOs and unions, including criminal accusations against CENTRAL and the LRSU union. It calls for the release of detained activists, dropping charges, ending harassment of civil society and media, improving human rights as a precondition for trade, and increasing EU support for Cambodian civil society.
Key points
- Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of detained activists, dropping politically-motivated charges, and ending administrative and legal harassment of civil society organisations and unions.
- Calls for Cambodian authorities to end constraining media through legal hurdles, intimidation, shutdowns, and to stop politicised criminal charges, audits, legal threats and disinformation against journalists and activists.
- Calls for improvement of the human rights situation in Cambodia as a precondition for further economic cooperation, trade and investment, and for the EU to lift the partial suspension of trade preferences under the 'Everything but Arms' scheme.
- Calls for public condemnation of the closing civic and political space through increased diplomatic pressure, urging EU member states to press the Cambodian government to release all political prisoners and uphold democratic values.
- Calls on EU member state governments to increase or sustain financial support for Cambodian civil society organisations to strengthen civil society, democracy and human rights.
Who is affected
- Cambodian authorities, including the government, Prime Minister and National Assembly, are urged to release activists, drop charges, and end harassment.
- Detained activists, human rights defenders, unionists, journalists and civil society workers in Cambodia would benefit from release and reduced repression.
- Cambodian civil society organisations, including CENTRAL and the LRSU union, would receive financial support from EU member states.
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Full text
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B100205/2024
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the shrinking space for civil society in Cambodia, in particular the case of the labour rights organisation CENTRAL
(2024/2952(RSP))
The European Parliament,
- having regard to its previous resolutions on Cambodia,
- having regard to Rules 150(1) of its Rules of Procedure,
whereas Cambodia`s authorities are tightening control over civic space, fundamental freedoms and the media by jailing, harassing and threatening human rights defenders, opposition politicians, civil society workers, unionists, land and environmental activists, and journalists;
whereas Cambodian authorities launched an unjustified crackdown on NGOs working for the self determination of workers` unions and trade federations, in particular the criminal accusations against CENTRAL and against the LRSU union whose members are getting constantly harassed and their worker`s elections are not recognized by the Government;
whereas Cambodian authorities continue to delegitimize independent media, pressure “confessions” to discredit activists and organizations and implement pre-trial detentions according to the 2015 Law on Associations and NGOs (LANGO) and other criminal code statues on incitement to disturb social order , which are employed to stifle dissent and curb the activities of independent organisations;
Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of detained activists, dropping the politically-motivated charges against activists and the end of administrative and legal harassment of CSOs and unions;
Calls for the Cambodian authorities to end constraining of the media by legal hurdles, intimidation and shutdown of media outlets and stop the politicalized criminal charges, audits, legal threats, and disinformation against journalists and activists;
Calls for the improvement of the human rights situation in Cambodia as a precondition for further economic cooperation, trade and investment and for the EU to lift the partial suspension of trade preferences for Cambodia under the “Everything but Arms” (EBA) scheme;
Calls for public condemnation of the closing civic and political space through increased diplomatic pressure and leverage as the EU and its member states should press the Cambodian government to release all political prisoners and uphold democratic values;
Calls on the governments of the EU member states to increase or sustain financial support for Cambodian CSOs to strengthen Cambodia`s civil society, democracy and human rights;
Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission, the Commission, the Council, the ASEAN Secretary-General and the Government, Prime Minister and National Assembly of Cambodia.