Cambodia Human Rights Body Raises Border Concerns in Meeting with UN Rights Official

PHNOM PENH, July 8, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia’s Human Rights Committee has voiced concerns over alleged violations along the Cambodia–Thailand border during talks with the United Nations’ human rights office in Phnom Penh.

Senior Minister Keo Remy, president of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC), met Matilda Bogner, country representative of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), on July 7 to discuss strengthening cooperation.

Keo thanked the OHCHR for its continued engagement and highlighted Cambodia’s co-sponsorship with France of a draft UN Human Rights Council resolution on the “universal decriminalisation of homosexuality.”

He also raised what he described as serious violations of international law by Thai authorities, including alleged discrimination and violence against Cambodian migrant workers.

The CHRC cited reports of a physical assault against a Cambodian female worker and claimed military actions had damaged civilian property, including the Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

According to the statement, heavy weapons and aircraft were allegedly used in attacks on Cambodian territory, causing widespread displacement. More than 650,000 people were said to have fled their homes, with over 20,000 still unable to return despite a ceasefire reached on December 27, 2025.

Cambodia further accused Thai forces of attempting to consolidate control over disputed areas through construction, occupation, and the destruction and looting of civilian property.

Bogner said the OHCHR was closely monitoring the situation and had visited displaced communities to assess their conditions.

She welcomed Cambodia’s efforts to promote LGBTQ+ rights and noted discussions on the country’s possible ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which seeks to abolish the death penalty.

The meeting concluded with Keo expressing appreciation for the OHCHR’s attention to the border situation and its outreach to affected communities.