Cambodia Approves Law Criminalizing Denial of Khmer Rouge Atrocities

Cambodia’s government has given its approval for a new bill that targets the denial of crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge era. This measure establishes penalties of up to five years in prison along with fines ranging from $2,500 to $125,000 for those who reject the evidence-based historical accounts of atrocities carried out in the late 1970s. The law, which passed with unanimous support from all 115 members of the National Assembly, is intended to safeguard against the repetition of such tragedies and to honor the memory of the victims.

The new seven-article bill comes as Cambodia marks its 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge takeover, an era marked by extreme brutality and mass casualties resulting from starvation, executions, and widespread disease. This legislation builds upon a similar law enacted in 2013, which was later criticized as a tool to stifle political dissent. In that earlier instance, allegations surfaced that some historical evidence of the Khmer Rouge atrocities might have been manipulated by external actors, particularly Vietnam, leading to accusations that the law was used to target political opponents.

Officials defending the latest law argue that it is meant to ensure that crimes proven by UN-backed tribunals — which have classified the Khmer Rouge actions as genocide, crimes against humanity, and violations of international conventions — are properly acknowledged and remembered. This legal step is also seen as a direct response to concerns about a potential "colour revolution" that could destabilize the nation, as warned by political figures with historical ties to the Khmer Rouge regime. The bill is now headed for a formality in the senate and will come into force once King Norodom Sihamoni provides his signature.