Cambodia bans UN human rights envoy

VIA KI: VOA has the latest on the simmering war between the Royal Government and U.N. human rights envoy Yash Ghai.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an order banning Cambodian embassies the authority to issue visas for UN human rights envoy Yash Ghai without prior approval.

Ghai has had an increasingly cantankerous relationship with the government, especially with Prime Minister Hun Sun, following his strident criticism of Cambodia’s poor human rights record and the concentration of power in the hands of the premier.

Banning U.N. human rights officials puts Hun Sen and his government in decidedly unsavory territory. Only the most egregious abusers of human rights — countries such as Myanmar and the United States — have ever taken such action. Furthermore, barring Yash Ghai from entry does zero to address his accusations. In fact quite the opposite, such censure only gives them credence.