Cambodia Reaffirms Commitment to Abolishing Death Penalty at Global Congress

PARIS, July 6, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia has reaffirmed its commitment to abolishing the death penalty during the 9th World Congress Against the Death Penalty, held in Paris from June 30 to July 2.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Koeut Rith led the Cambodian delegation to the gathering, which brought together senior representatives from 19 countries, international organisations and around 700 participants. French President Emmanuel Macron also addressed the event.

Speaking at the congress, Koeut Rith said the government remained committed to completing the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the UN treaty aimed at abolishing capital punishment.

He noted that ratification would be consistent with Cambodia’s Constitution and more than three decades of practice without executions, while reinforcing the country’s commitment to human rights and international law.

Cambodia abolished capital punishment in 1989 under the Constitution of the State of Cambodia, a ban later retained in the 1993 Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia. It is one of only two Southeast Asian nations to have abolished the death penalty.

The Ministry of Justice said Cambodia’s stance reflects its commitment to protecting the right to life and human dignity, citing the country’s historical experience under the Khmer Rouge regime as a key factor shaping its approach.

Ratifying the Second Optional Protocol would bind Cambodia under international law not to reintroduce the death penalty in the future.