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How Cambodia’s law on ‘freedom parks’ curtailed people’s right to protest

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 02/10/2026, 08:15:24 UTC.

Briefings

Cambodia's 2009 law designating 'freedom parks' for peaceful protests has severely restricted citizens' right to assemble, with only one park identified despite widespread use. Authorities have blocked protests in Phnom Penh since 2013, citing security and public order concerns. Key restrictions include mandatory participant numbers that are impossible to predict, bans on spontaneous assemblies, and the use of the park to deny access to marginalized communities. The law remains under review by human rights groups due to its impact on democratic agency before the 2027 and 2028 elections.

Key points

• Only one freedom park has been officially identified in Cambodia since the 2009 law, despite widespread use by opposition groups for demonstrations.
• The law requires organizers to provide a specific number of participants, which is impossible to predict and can render protests illegal if estimates are inaccurate.

Context and limitations

Coverage is limited to the 2009 law and its implementation through 2026, with no data on post-2026 developments or specific casualty figures.

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