"Foreign governments, donors and the UN, need to make much greater efforts to support Cambodians who struggle for free and fair elections, the rule of law, an end to corruption and land grabs, and respect for basic rights such as freedom of expression, association, and assembly," the report published on the watchdog's website said.
According to the report, Prime Minister Hun Sen's corrupt rule is reliant upon politically motivated violence, heavy-handed security forces, manipulated elections, and widespread cronyism.
“I not only weaken the opposition, I’m going to make them dead,” Hun was quoted as saying in the report.
Recently, Hun has allowed limited space for the expression of political opposition, but his government continues to suppress those who do, stating that they pose a threat, as noted in the report.
Hun took office as prime minister in 1985, and marks the 30th year of his rule on January 14. According to the report, Hun is the sixth-longest serving current political leader, behind Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and ahead of Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. In the 1970’s, Hun was a commander of the Khmer Rouge communist regime in Cambodia, responsible for the horrific 1975 genocide against the civilian population of the country. The genocide led to the death of about 750,000 Cambodians.
