Japan must act on Cambodian attempts to intimidate diaspora through transnational repression

A report from Human Rights Watch adds to the body of evidence that the Cambodian government is a systematic perpetrator of transnational repression in Japan.

The report, published on 2 September 2025 and available here, is based on interviews with 23 Cambodians who are peaceful opposition supporters living in Japan. Most of those interviewed said that the Cambodian police, village chiefs appointed by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, or senior military officials had pressured their families in Cambodia to seek an end to their political activity in Japan.

The Khmer Movement for Democracy supports the call by HRW for Japan to introduce a reporting system for cases of transnational repression. Such a system would allow criminal investigations in cases where Japanese law has been broken, and prevent those who are the targets of transnational repression from being deported or extradited.

The Cambodian government, not content with destroying freedom of speech inside the country, also wants to undermine such freedoms in the democratic countries which host its diaspora. Japan, as a signatory to the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements on Cambodia, must make it clear to Cambodia that business as usual is impossible until the government accepts the need to debate with peaceful political opponents inside and outside Cambodia.

KMD has a partnership program with the Cambodian Movement for Democracy, the Global Cambodian Youth Network and the Cambodian community in Japan to build leadership capacity and raise public awareness on transnational repression and the rights of migrant workers. The program has enabled the various groups  to advance their advocacy efforts for the protection of individuals at risk.