AKP Phnom Penh, May 27, 2025 -- 

The Ministry of Justice of the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing cooperation in law enforcement, combating crime, and protecting human rights and freedoms.

The MoU was inked in Phnom Penh on May 26 by H.E. Koeut Rith, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of Cambodia, and H.E. Igor Krasnov, Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, following their bilateral meeting.

During the meeting, H.E. Koeut Rith expressed satisfaction with the ongoing progress and effectiveness of legal cooperation between Cambodia and Russia—particularly between the Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutor General’s Office. He noted that the two countries have already concluded two major treaties: the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters and the Treaty on Extradition. Additionally, both sides are currently negotiating a Treaty on the Transfer of Convicted Persons, which, once signed, will complete a comprehensive legal framework for criminal cooperation between the two nations.

The Cambodian Justice Minister emphasised the importance of the newly signed MoU, describing it as broad in scope and without a time limitation. He highlighted that the agreement comes in the context of rapid technological advancement and the growing threat of cybercrime—challenges that transcend national borders and require both bilateral and multilateral collaboration. The MoU, he added, will promote training and capacity-building for law enforcement officials, facilitate information sharing, and enable the exchange of best practices to improve enforcement outcomes.

H.E. Koeut Rith also expressed his gratitude to the Russian government for its continued support in Cambodia’s development, particularly through the training of Cambodian human resources.

H.E. Igor Krasnov echoed the Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister’s views on the importance of strengthening and deepening legal and diplomatic ties. He affirmed the significance of the MoU, stating: "The document will strengthen the legal basis for joint work in the field of countering cross-border threats of a criminal nature, will contribute to a more intensive exchange of the best practices, to the convergence of our positions on international platforms.”

The Russian Prosecutor General also expressed his office’s readiness to engage in broader partnerships with Cambodia, including legal support for investment projects, protection of tourist rights, and the exchange of legislative modernisation experiences.

“The topic of digitalization of justice and law enforcement is of particular interest – from the introduction of departmental IT systems to the use of neural networks,” said H.E. Mr Igor Krasnov. "We have experience in this area, and we are ready to share it".

H.E. Igor Krasnov arrived in Cambodia on May 26 for a two-day working visit. This is the first visit of Russian Prosecutor General to Cambodia in the entire history of cooperation between the law enforcement authorities of the two countries.

By C. Nika