Cambodia to enforce conscription in 2026

Cambodia’s Prime Minister, Hun Manet, recently announced the enforcement of a long-dormant conscription law starting in 2026, requiring citizens aged 18 to 30 to serve in the military—though women may volunteer rather than being obligated. The law, first passed in 2006 but unenforced until now, is being revived with the stated aim of strengthening military capacity amid rising regional tensions.

WRI finds this development deeply concerning. Mandatory conscription represents a direct step toward militarising societies. We are particularly alarmed that Cambodia has no legal framework to recognise those who refuse military service on grounds of conscience. On the contrary, according to a report by AFP, the newly activated legislation provides for prison sentences of up to three years in wartime and one year in peacetime for those who refuse to serve. Such punitive measures starkly contradict international human rights standards, which affirm the right to conscientious objection.

WRI will continue to follow developments in Cambodia, in the context of growing militarisation across the region, and stand in solidarity with all those who refuse to take up arms in Cambodia and beyond.