WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th August, 2018) The United States has expanded the visa restrictions for Cambodian citizens involved in weakening democracy, including those who took anti-democratic actions ahead of the elections, US Department of State spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters on Wednesday.
"As previewed in the White Houses July 29 statement on Cambodias election, we are expanding the visa restrictions initiated on December 6, 2017 on individuals involved in the undermining of democracy in Cambodia," Nauert said.
Nauert explained the expanded entry restrictions may apply to individuals both within and outside the Cambodian government who are responsible for the most notable anti-democratic actions taken in the run-up of the July 29 election.
"In certain circumstances their immediate family members will also be subject to restrictions," Nauert said.
Earlier on Wednesday, local media reported citing the National Election Committee that the countrys ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won all 125 parliamentary seats in the July 29 general election.
Turnout was 83.02 percent and the CPP won 77.36 percent or 4,889,113 votes, beating its competitors from the royalist Funcinpec and the Khmer Will political parties.
Cambodia's Khmer Economic Development Party and the Reaksmey Khemera Party rejected earlier the preliminary results that were published following the election.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement that the vote failed to represent the will of the Cambodian people, while the European Union questioned the credibility of the elections and urged the Cambodian authorities to engage in dialogue with the opposition to promote free political competition.
