(Kampong Thom): Prime Minister Hun Manet stated there is no reason to fear the proposed constitutional amendment on citizenship revocation unless one intends to harm the nation.

Samdech Thipadei spoke on Thursday (Jul. 3) during a groundbreaking ceremony of the Cambodian People's Party headquarters in Kampong Thom province.

According to recent research in 2022, out of 190 countries among the 195 countries worldwide, 150 countries, or 79%, have laws on citizenship revocation. Among these, 134 countries can revoke their citizens' nationality based on reasons such as disloyalty, threats to national security, or terrorism-related offenses. Additionally, since 2000, as many as 37 countries have enacted such laws.

“(The constitutional amendment on citizenship revocation) targets those who act against the national interest,” Prime Minister Hun Manet said. “If you are truly patriotic and committed to never harming the nation, even to your last breath, there’s no reason to worry. But if you’re conspiring with foreign powers to destroy the country, then yes, you should be afraid. And if that’s who you are, you shouldn’t be Cambodian. Let me be clear.”

On the occasion, Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet also reiterated that those who do not conspire with foreigners to harm the country need not fear the amendment. He added that such legal provisions are not exclusive to authoritarian regimes; many democratic countries also uphold laws permitting citizenship revocation.
=FRESH NEWS