In February 2021, the Cambodian government adopted the Sub-Decree on the Establishment of the National Internet Gateway (“NIG Sub-Decree”) in a process which lacked transparency and bypassed consultation with relevant stakeholders, namely civil society.
The NIG Sub-Decree has the potential to drastically reshape the digital landscape in Cambodia, rendering its current version as a free and open internet unrecognizable. A deeper dive into legislation in Cambodia reveals that the NIG Sub-Decree is merely a culmination of events that can only be described as an attempt by the Cambodian government to establish its control and dominance over the internet to curtail fundamental human rights.
A new article by Sopheap Chak. She is the Executive Director of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), a human rights organization working for the promotion and protection of political and civil rights in Cambodia.