Cambodia Orders Expulsion of Foreign Staff Members With American Nonprofit

Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered foreign staff members of an American nonprofit that receives support from the U.S. government to leave the country within a week, part of an apparent attempt to silence opposition voices in the lead-up to national elections next year.

Cambodia is ruled by one of the world’s longest-serving leaders, Prime Minister Hun Sen, whose Cambodian People’s Party received a strong challenge from the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party in local elections in June.

The American nonprofit, the National Democratic Institute, is loosely affiliated with the U.S. Democratic Party and has provided training to various Cambodian political parties, including those from the opposition. Local news media organizations with ties to the ruling party have accused the organization of conspiring against Hun Sen.