Rights groups condemn Cambodia's threat to shut UN office
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| Christophe Peschoux |
DPA
Phnom Penh - Prominent international human rights groups on Friday condemned the Cambodian government's demand that the United Nations close its local human rights office and fire the country head.
In a joint statement, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International said the government's assertion that the UN human rights office in Cambodia was a mouthpiece for the political opposition were 'baseless.'
The groups said the government's stance was 'a direct assault on the UN's human rights mandate,' and said the UN's leadership should continue to speak out on behalf of the local office and its country head, Christophe Peschoux.
'Donor governments to Cambodia should likewise voice their strong objections to the Cambodian government's statements,' they added.
