A/HRC/24/36 weeks prior to the parliamentary elections and thus does not contain developments in the fast-moving election process since then. 34. Cambodians will go to the polls on 28 July 2013 for the eighth time since the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements.1 The National Election Committee (NEC) announced that 9.67 million Cambodians would be eligible to cast their ballots in 19,009 polling stations to elect the 123-seat Parliament by proportional representation.2 The election is contested by 8 political parties.3 Seats in the current National Assembly are held by the Cambodian People’s Party (90 seats), the Sam Rainsy Party (26 seats), the Human Rights Party (3 seats), FUNCINPEC (2 seats) and the Norodom Ranariddh party (2 seats). In July 2012, the Sam Rainsy Party and the Human Rights Party agreed to merge to create a new political party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). 35. Compared to previous national elections, the overall pre-electoral situation was very calm at the time of drafting. In rural areas, human rights groups reported only rare cases of politically motivated violence or physical intimidation. This consistent reduction in the level of political violence is showing an important improvement towards democratization. However, a campaign of intimidations and pressure still prevails particularly in rural areas. Local State human resources such as the village chiefs and the commune chiefs have been reported to have been used as political agents to persuade people to vote for the ruling party. That is a clear breach of the electoral law. It has also to be reported that a number of signboards advertising the CNRP have been pulled down or destroyed in Svay Rieng, Prey Veng, Takeo, Kandal and Battambang provinces, contributing to the creation of more intimidation. One mass rally was organized by the opposition in Phnom Penh in May. The Special Rapporteur was pleased to see that it unfolded peacefully and he hopes that mass gatherings, whether for election purposes or to highlight particular concerns or issues such as working conditions or forced evictions, will also be conducted and dealt with peacefully. 36. A number of concerns have been raised, however, in relation to the context in which the elections are taking place, some of which might not be conducive to a free and fair outcome. In this regard, while the Special Rapporteur realizes that time may be required to implement some of his recommendations and to generate the necessary political will to do so, he regrets that most of his recommendations with regard to electoral reform have not been acted upon. Specifically, the Special Rapporteur continues to have concerns over the independence of the NEC, freedom of expression, access to media for all political parties (particularly television) during the pre-electoral period, use of State resources by political parties in campaigning, the use of threats of legal action against politicians, concerns over the integrity of the voter list, reports of intimidation of voters, and a general lack of transparency in the electoral process. 37. During his mission in May, the Special Rapporteur reiterated these concerns during his meetings with the President of the NEC and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. He sought assurance from them that the necessary measures would be taken to 1 2 3 1993 national election under the supervision of UNTAC, 1998 national election, 2002 commune election, 2003 national election, 2007 commune election, 2008 national election, 2012 commune election. Until 2006, a majority of two-thirds was required to form a government. An amendment to the Constitution now allows for a 50 per cent plus one majority in the National Assembly to form a government. 1. Cambodian Nationality Party (CNP); 2. Front Uni National pour un Cambodge Indépendant, Neutre, Pacifique et Coopératif (FUNCINPEC); 3. Republican Democracy Party (RDP); 4. Cambodian People’s party (CPP); 5. Khmer Economic Development Party (KEDP); 6. Khmer AntiPoverty Party (KAPP); 7. Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP); 8. League for Democracy Party (LDP). 11