Sec. 3. Sense of Congress
523 words·~2 min read·
/bill/118/s/2331/is/section-3A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the sense of Congress that— the United States is committed to promoting democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in Cambodia, as laid out in the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements; the United States Government, through diplomacy and assistance, should urge the Government of Cambodia to— release all political prisoners; drop all politically motivated charges and vacate convictions against members of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, journalists, and civil society activists; restore full political rights to the Cambodia National Rescue Party and other political parties; reverse the policies and actions that have resulted in the dismantling of democracy, the blatant disregard of fundamental human rights, and the breakdown of rule of law in Cambodia; immediately discontinue the imprisonment and judicial harassment of journalists, political dissidents, and activists, drop politically motivated charges, and unconditionally release all political prisoners; stop arrests and intimidation of civil society members, including human rights activists, environmental defenders, and labor leaders, and promote a flourishing civil society that supports the political and economic development of Cambodia; halt the threat of mass arrests and violence if and when Cambodia National Rescue Party members currently overseas return to Cambodia; reinstate the political status of the Cambodia National Rescue Party and other opposition parties, restore the Cambodia National Rescue Party’s elected seats in the National Assembly, and support electoral reform efforts in Cambodia with free and fair elections monitored by international observers; ensure that media outlets are able to operate freely and without interference, including having the ability to apply for and receive licenses to operate within Cambodia; consider how allowing the People’s Liberation Army to conduct activities, gain access, or establish a presence in Cambodia would harm Cambodia’s relationships with its neighbors, partners, and allies, and could violate the Constitution of Cambodia; and cease providing support to authoritarian regimes and undermining democratic activists in the region, especially through its ties to the Burmese military that seized power in a coup d’état on February 1, 2021, and instead play a constructive role in multilateral organizations like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to promote peace and democracy in the region;
Prime Minister Hun Sen is directly responsible, and should be held accountable, for the safety, health, and welfare of exiled Cambodia National Rescue Party leaders and their supporters upon their return to Cambodia; other governments throughout the Indo-Pacific region should— urge the Government of Cambodia to allow the peaceful return of exiled Cambodia National Rescue Party leaders and their supporters; refrain from illegally restricting the rights of Cambodia National Rescue Party members to travel to and through their countries as they return; and press the Government of Cambodia not to allow the People’s Liberation Army to use Cambodia’s military facilities or establish a presence within Cambodia; in the absence of systemic democratic reforms on the part of the Government of Cambodia, there is need for additional measures by the United States Government, including through the enactment of legislation and executive action; and the presence of the People’s Liberation Army will further enable Prime Minister Hun Sen’s authoritarian crackdown, including oppression of opposition parties, independent civil society, and free media in Cambodia.