Australians should have grave concerns about human rights abuses in Cambodia and the dissolution of the country's main opposition party, federal Labor MP Anthony Byrne says.
Ahead of Cambodian President Hun Sen's visit to Sydney next month, Mr Byrne told parliament he's "deeply concerned" about the Cambodian Supreme Court's decision to dissolve the main opposition party, the Cambodian National Rescue Party.
Opposition leader Kem Sokha was also jailed.
Australia has a long history working to create a fairer and more democratic Cambodia, Mr Byrne told parliament, pointing to the work of former foreign minister Gareth Evans on the Paris Peace Agreements of 1991.
"I don't think Gareth in his wildest dreams would have thought - and Hun Sen was around at that period of time - that we would be in a situation where we'd be talking in this parliament about Hun Sen, his activities and what he has been doing in Cambodia, particularly to the opposition," he said.
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"I think that should cause us all grave concerns."
Mr Byrne urged Hun Sen's government to reconsider ongoing persecution of opposition parties and dissenting forces.
Hun Sen is expected to attend the Australia-Association of South East Asian Nations summit on March 17 and 18, where he's threatened to beat up protesters if they burn effigies of him.
Hundreds of Cambodians living in Australia are expected to rally against him.
"I want to remind those who plan to demonstrate against me that my visit is an honour for their government," the leader said in a speech, according to translated subtitles.
"If they burn my effigy ... I will pursue them to their houses and beat them up."
