Yoho Statement on Cambodia's National Election

Statement

Congressman Ted S. Yoho (R-FL), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, gave the following statement:

"Hun Sen's sham victory in Cambodia's national elections this week was precisely the undemocratic farce the world had expected. Hun Sen may have won a sham of an election but unfortunately, the Cambodian people lost their chance at liberty, freedom, and democracy. The White House was right to call this fake election "the most significant setback yet to the democratic system enshrined in Cambodia's constitution." As this election neared, Hun Sen systematically undermined Cambodia's nascent democracy by intimidating critics, shuttering independent media, and ultimately outlawing the opposition party and imprisoning its leader. Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP) was the only choice left to voters, who were threatened with punishment if they did not vote. Predictably, the CPP swept every contested seat.

"Nations that value democracy should hold the Hun Sen regime accountable, and last week the House took the first step by unanimously passing my Cambodia Democracy Act. This legislation will codify visa bans the Administration has already issued, and apply new asset blocking sanctions on regime figures who have undermined democracy in Cambodia or committed related human rights abuses. I urge the Senate to act as soon as possible--we can't let Hun Sen and his cronies get away with disenfranchising the people of Cambodia."

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