Cambodia Introduces Draft Law Criminalizing Khmer Rouge Genocide Denial

The proposed legislation seeks to impose prison terms and fines for denying atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime, aiming to ensure justice and prevent historical revisionism.

• The Cambodian government has approved a draft law that criminalizes denial or condoning of Khmer Rouge atrocities, with penalties of one to five years in prison and fines ranging from $2,500 to $125,000.
• The draft law, consisting of seven articles, aims to prevent the recurrence of such crimes and provide justice for victims of the Khmer Rouge, whose regime caused an estimated 1.7 to 2 million deaths between 1975 and 1979.
• The legislation expands on a 2013 law that also penalized denial of Khmer Rouge crimes but carried lighter sentences, and it was introduced at the suggestion of former Prime Minister Hun Sen.
• Critics argue that the law could be used as a political tool, as rights groups have accused Hun Sen's administration of leveraging the legal system to suppress opposition during his nearly four decades in power.
• The draft law is expected to pass easily in Cambodia's parliament, where the ruling Cambodian People’s Party holds a significant majority, and it coincides with the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge's rise to power.

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