(Phnom Penh): All 125 members of the National Assembly unanimously approved a draft constitutional amendment to Article 33 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia during a parliamentary session held on Friday (Jul. 11).
This proposed amendment paves the way for the creation of a legal framework to revoke Cambodian citizenship from any citizen who commits acts of treason or engages in activities that severely harm the interests of Cambodia and its people in collusion with foreign entities.
The new content of the draft amendment to Article 33 of the Constitution states:
“A Cambodian citizen shall not be deported or extradited to any foreign country, except under a mutual agreement. Cambodian citizens residing abroad shall be protected by the State. The acquisition and loss of Cambodian nationality, including its revocation, shall be determined by law.”
The draft law was submitted by all 125 parliamentarians, representing 100 per cent of the National Assembly alongside Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. It aims to ensure the protection and promotion of national interests and safeguard against acts of treason committed by individuals conspiring with foreign entities to harm the nation and its citizens.
The amendment to Article 33 is viewed as a crucial measure to counter foreign interference in Cambodia’s domestic affairs, particularly in addressing treason and collaboration with external forces that endanger national security, public order, and the supreme interests of the nation.
According to the newly drafted Article 49 of the Constitution, every Cambodian citizen must prioritize national interests and must not engage, either directly or indirectly in any activity that affects the interests of the Kingdom of Cambodia and its people. The article also clearly states that all Cambodian citizens have a duty to contribute to nation-building and the defence of the homeland. In this spirit, any act of treason or activity that undermines the supreme interests of the nation and its people, especially collusion with foreign actors that is a violation of the Constitution and Cambodia’s Penal Code, as well as a betrayal of the moral and civic values expected of Cambodian citizens.
The revocation of Cambodian citizenship is not unprecedented. In the past, Cambodia had legal provisions on this matter. For example, the 1920 Civil Code and its successive amendments, as well as the Law on the Loss of Cambodian Nationality, promulgated under Royal Decree No. 377/68-BR dated 16 October 1968, provided such grounds. Additionally, around 150 countries worldwide, including those in Asia and Europe have similar laws.
=FRESH NEWS
