A/HRC/27/70 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 15 August 2014 Original: English Human Rights Council Twenty-seventh session Agenda item 10 Technical assistance and capacity-building Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, Surya P. Subedi Summary The present report reflects on the work of the Special Rapporteur, Professor Surya Subedi, for the past six years in general and the past 12 months in particular. The Special Rapporteur has had the privilege of serving as the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia since May 2009. It gives him pleasure to state that the situation in Cambodia has come full circle during the intervening six years and the country is currently in the process of peaceful political transition. These years have been stimulating, intellectually challenging and rewarding at the same time for the Special Rapporteur. He finds it gratifying to report that some of his recommendations have been implemented and others are in the process of being implemented by the Government. The focus of the Special Rapporteur during the reporting period (1 July 2013– 24 July 2014) has been on the possibility for the establishment of an independent national human rights institution that meets the benchmarks of the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles) and on the implementation of the recommendations contained in his previous four substantive and substantial reports dealing with judicial, parliamentary, electoral and land reform in Cambodia. The Special Rapporteur focused his last two missions to the country — conducted in January and in June 2014 — on those two objectives and continued to monitor the situation of human rights in Cambodia. The Special Rapporteur was welcomed by the Government during his two missions to the country in January and June 2014. He was able to meet with senior members of the Government of Cambodia, including the Prime Minister, who assured him that many of his recommendations were being implemented and that those specifically relating to judicial and electoral reform would be implemented in the near future. The Prime Minister was receptive to the idea of establishing an independent national human rights institution that meets the Paris Principles. Cambodia witnessed major political events during the reporting period, including elections to the National Assembly in July 2013. The elections were conducted in a largely peaceful manner, but were marred by allegations of electoral irregularities. Calling for an GE.14-13379 (E) *1413379*