Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday issued a circular urging officials at all levels to work more closely with the Cambodia Human Rights Committee (CHRC) to protect human rights in Cambodia.

In the circular, Hun Sen urged all institutions to collaborate closely with CHRC, including in conducting research, educating people, solving complaints, and monitoring the human rights situation in prisons and detention centres.

“All ministries and institutions, as well as the Phnom Penh municipal and provincial administrations and skilled units at all levels, have to collaborate with CHRC to respond effectively and on time to reports relating to human rights situations in Cambodia,” the circular said.

CHRC spokesman Chin Malin said the committee already cooperates with all relevant institutions.

“We have had a good collaboration so far, but this circular aims to improve this collaboration further.”

He said the circular will help develop human resources in the human rights sector.

Adhoc spokesman Soeng Sen Karuna said the government needs to do more to protect human rights in Cambodia.

“This circular does not do much to address some of the concerns raised by the UN. The solutions and mechanisms presented in the circular are insufficient because the authorities continue to violate human rights,” he said.