King Norodom Sihamoni promulgated an amendment to the Constitution on July 15, allowing Cambodian citizenship to be stripped from individuals. The move came just one day after the Senate passed the amendment.
The law was only made public on the morning of July 21, 2025, via the official Facebook page of Senate President Hun Sen.
The revised Article 33 of the Constitution now reads: “Khmer citizens shall not be exiled or arrested and deported to any foreign country unless there is a mutual agreement on extradition.” “Khmer citizens residing abroad enjoy the protection of the State.” “Acquisition and loss of Cambodian citizenship, including withdrawal, shall be determined by law.”
Previously, the Constitution stated that Khmer citizens “shall not be deprived of their nationality”, a clause that has now been removed.
The amendment was proposed by Hun Sen on June 27 to allow revoking Cambodian citizenship for those accused of colluding with foreign forces. It was unanimously passed by the National Assembly on July 11 and approved by the Senate on July 14, with 58 out of 60 votes in favor.
Two senators from the opposition Khmer Will Party, Kong Monika and Seng Marady, abstained. During the session, Hun Sen threatened to handcuff the two senators if they were to commit treason — though he clarified their citizenship would not be revoked.
Monika told CamboJA News that following the Article 33 amendment, the government is expected to revise the nationality law as well. While the details of the forthcoming amendment remain unclear, he questioned how the government would define the criteria for revoking citizenship.
Monika called on the authorities to enforce the law fairly and without discrimination.
“As an opposition party, we urge that all laws be implemented transparently and equitably,” he said. “We hope that all Cambodian citizens continue to enjoy their constitutional rights and freedoms,” adding that all laws that are implemented affect the rights of citizens, meaning they affect democracy.
Am Sam Ath, operations director of rights group Licadho, said the amendment has raised concerns and created uncertainty about how the new law will be implemented.
“The constitutional amendment must align with the international human rights standards that Cambodia has ratified and recognized, to ensure the protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms in accordance with those obligations,” he said.
