Overview

• On the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge's entry into Phnom Penh, survivors were prohibited from holding prayers at the Choeung Ek 'Killing Fields' memorial site.
• Phnom Penh city hall denied an opposition party's request to host a memorial event, citing public order and safety concerns.
• A newly enacted Cambodian law criminalizing denial of Khmer Rouge atrocities has drawn criticism from rights advocates, who warn it could suppress dissent.
• The Khmer Rouge regime, which began on April 17, 1975, forcibly displaced millions and killed an estimated two million Cambodians before being ousted in 1979.
• Justice for the genocide remains limited, with a UN-backed tribunal convicting only three leaders before ceasing operations in 2022.