PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Human rights groups welcomed Cambodia's decision to abolish prison sentences for defamation but remained wary of Prime Minister Hun Sen's attitudes toward criticism and free speech.
Cambodian lawmakers voted Friday in favor of making the offense punishable by a fine only, amid accusations Hun Sen's government has used the law to jail his political opponents.
Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana said the amendment showed "a step forward for our country in exercising democracy."
But human rights groups remain far from convinced.
It "is indeed welcome news. But it doesn't go far enough," Brad Adams, Asia director of the New York-based Human Rights Watch, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press received Saturday.
Anselmo Lee, executive director of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, said in a separate e-mail that it is "too early to declare a victory."
"Our recent experiences show that the human rights situation in Cambodia has been stagnant, like one step forward one step backward," he said, adding that Hun Sen's "real political motive remains to be seen."
Last year, more than half a dozen government critics, including leading human rights activists and opposition figures, were jailed or fled into exile after being sued for defamation by Hun Sen.
But earlier this year, the prime minister deferred all defamation lawsuits and promised to remove criminal penalties for the offense in response to appeals from human rights groups, who said the defamation law posed a threat to the freedom of expression.
Hun Sen also allowed those who had fled to return to Cambodia, and released those who had been jailed for defaming him.
Although the amendment showed that the government was making good on Hun Sen's promise, it looks like a "politically calculated move" to please foreign donors, Lee said.
He said the 10 million riel (US$2,450) fine in the amended law is more than the annual income of ordinary Cambodians and "can bankrupt anybody in Cambodia."
Therefore, Lee said, it can still "curtail freedom of expression and be abused as a powerful political tool to silence critics including human rights activists."
Adams said that all provisions in Cambodian law that could lead to prison for stating one's opinions should be scrapped.
"If all this happens, then we can conclude that there has been a fundamental change of thinking by Hun Sen and the government. Otherwise, the risks remain for critics and journalists," he said.
Cambodian social activists expressed similar reservations.
Sok Sam Oeun, director of the Cambodian Defenders Project, a nonprofit group providing legal aid to the poor, said Friday that, as long as the courts still lack independence, "no one can hope that, if they face trouble, they can receive justice at the courts." (AP)
May 27, 2006
Cambodian lawmakers voted Friday in favor of making the offense punishable by a fine only, amid accusations Hun Sen's government has used the law to jail his political opponents.
Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana said the amendment showed "a step forward for our country in exercising democracy."
But human rights groups remain far from convinced.
It "is indeed welcome news. But it doesn't go far enough," Brad Adams, Asia director of the New York-based Human Rights Watch, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press received Saturday.
Anselmo Lee, executive director of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, said in a separate e-mail that it is "too early to declare a victory."
"Our recent experiences show that the human rights situation in Cambodia has been stagnant, like one step forward one step backward," he said, adding that Hun Sen's "real political motive remains to be seen."
Last year, more than half a dozen government critics, including leading human rights activists and opposition figures, were jailed or fled into exile after being sued for defamation by Hun Sen.
But earlier this year, the prime minister deferred all defamation lawsuits and promised to remove criminal penalties for the offense in response to appeals from human rights groups, who said the defamation law posed a threat to the freedom of expression.
Hun Sen also allowed those who had fled to return to Cambodia, and released those who had been jailed for defaming him.
Although the amendment showed that the government was making good on Hun Sen's promise, it looks like a "politically calculated move" to please foreign donors, Lee said.
He said the 10 million riel (US$2,450) fine in the amended law is more than the annual income of ordinary Cambodians and "can bankrupt anybody in Cambodia."
Therefore, Lee said, it can still "curtail freedom of expression and be abused as a powerful political tool to silence critics including human rights activists."
Adams said that all provisions in Cambodian law that could lead to prison for stating one's opinions should be scrapped.
"If all this happens, then we can conclude that there has been a fundamental change of thinking by Hun Sen and the government. Otherwise, the risks remain for critics and journalists," he said.
Cambodian social activists expressed similar reservations.
Sok Sam Oeun, director of the Cambodian Defenders Project, a nonprofit group providing legal aid to the poor, said Friday that, as long as the courts still lack independence, "no one can hope that, if they face trouble, they can receive justice at the courts." (AP)
May 27, 2006
1 comment:
Guys.. If you wanted to change Cambodia.. go to the US..might be work..but you have to be honest.. in order to deal with the US. ,,
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