Nepal, Aug. 25 -- Cambodian parliamentarians passed legislation on Monday allowing people who "collude" with foreign countries to be stripped of citizenship, a law rights groups fear will be used to banish dissent.

Rights monitors have long accused Cambodia's government of using draconian laws to stifle opposition and legitimate political debate.

A sitting of 120 lawmakers in the National Assembly including Prime Minister Hun Manet unanimously passed the bill, empowering authorities to strip nationality from citizens for "an act of collusion" with a foreign power.

The law "will have a disastrously chilling effect on the freedom of speech of all Cambodian citizens", a coalition of 50 rights groups warned in a statement on Sunday.

"The ...