The United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Cambodia will arrive on Tuesday for his fourth trip to the Kingdom, the Geneva-based Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said yesterday.

Surya Subedi’s official visit will last from February 15 to 24 and include meetings with government officials, lawmakers, civil society representatives, UN officials, donors and diplomats.

“The aim of this mission is to follow up on my recommendations on the functioning of the judiciary; evaluate progress made on the decriminalisation of defamation and the establishment of a permanent mechanism of dialogue between the Government and civil society; and study the work of the parliament in the context of my ongoing assessment of institutions critical to the promotion and protection of human rights,” Subedi said in a statement.

Subedi will also discuss the government’s controversial NGO law as well as land rights and evictions, the statement said.

In his most recent report, Subedi recommended sweeping changes to a court system he said continued to be dominated by the executive branch and impaired by corruption and a lack of resources.

The independent expert reports annually to the UN Human Rights Council, which appointed him in March 2009. He is also a professor of international law at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom.