On Thursday 28 November, MEPs voted in favour of a joint resolution (EPP, S&D, ECR, Renew Europe and Greens/EFA) on the shrinking space for civil society in Cambodia, focusing in particular on the case of the labour rights organisation CENTRAL. This resolution was adopted by 492 votes in favour, 5 against and 102 abstentions.
It acknowledges that organisations such as CENTRAL (Center for Alliance of Labour and Human Rights) are being harassed by the government after denouncing labour rights violations.
The resolution demands the release of political prisoners, activists and journalists, an end to the harassment of civil society and the alignment of relevant Cambodian laws with international human rights and labour standards.
It continues by calling on companies that source from Cambodia to conduct “thorough human rights due diligence” in their supply chains.
Parliament also calls for sanctions to be taken against those responsible for the political repression and for the EU to step up its support for Cambodian civil society.
To see the resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/eis (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)