Sok AnMonday, July 10, 2006
By Kuch Naren
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The editor in chief of pro-Sam Rainsy Party newspaper Moneaksekar Khmer said Sunday that he has been invited for questioning at Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Wednesday over an article containing allegations of corruption against Cabinet Minister Sok An.
Dam Sithek, who also is the newspaper's publisher, said he received a summons by Municipal Court Prosecutor Ouk Savouth on Friday over a lawsuit accusing him of spreading false information.
The lawsuit was filed by a government lawyer following the paper's story, which was based on anonymous sources and ran in June.
Dam Sithek added that he will attend the questioning and stands by the allegations in his article, but feels pessimistic about his chances in a legal wrangle with the government.
"There is a bad culture of top officials at this time filing complaints against newspapers," he said.
Dam Sithek said he was uncertain under what law he was being sued. However, Article 62 of the Untac law, which deals with disinformation, states that someone who publishes false information with malicious intent and which is likely to disturb the peace can be sentenced to six months to three years in prison and fined up to $750.
Sok An did not answer repeated phone calls, while his Cabinet chief Chea Vandeth and Prak Sokhon, secretary of state at the Council of Ministers, both said they were unaware of the case and declined comment.
Ouk Savouth and government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith could not be contacted.
Dam Sithek said government lawyer Long Norindh has filed a complaint against him accusing him of printing false information in the June 13 article, entitled "Sok An Fights Back Against CPP Leaders Over Corruption."
The article quoted several unnamed CPP officials as saying that during an annual CPP meeting in May, comments were made regarding corruption and its damaging effect on the party.
The article claimed that members of a faction inside the CPP close to Sok An were benefiting from their positions.
Koul Panha, director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said the government should investigate allegations of corruption printed in newspapers rather than taking legal action against journalists.
Dam Sithek, who also is the newspaper's publisher, said he received a summons by Municipal Court Prosecutor Ouk Savouth on Friday over a lawsuit accusing him of spreading false information.
The lawsuit was filed by a government lawyer following the paper's story, which was based on anonymous sources and ran in June.
Dam Sithek added that he will attend the questioning and stands by the allegations in his article, but feels pessimistic about his chances in a legal wrangle with the government.
"There is a bad culture of top officials at this time filing complaints against newspapers," he said.
Dam Sithek said he was uncertain under what law he was being sued. However, Article 62 of the Untac law, which deals with disinformation, states that someone who publishes false information with malicious intent and which is likely to disturb the peace can be sentenced to six months to three years in prison and fined up to $750.
Sok An did not answer repeated phone calls, while his Cabinet chief Chea Vandeth and Prak Sokhon, secretary of state at the Council of Ministers, both said they were unaware of the case and declined comment.
Ouk Savouth and government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith could not be contacted.
Dam Sithek said government lawyer Long Norindh has filed a complaint against him accusing him of printing false information in the June 13 article, entitled "Sok An Fights Back Against CPP Leaders Over Corruption."
The article quoted several unnamed CPP officials as saying that during an annual CPP meeting in May, comments were made regarding corruption and its damaging effect on the party.
The article claimed that members of a faction inside the CPP close to Sok An were benefiting from their positions.
Koul Panha, director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said the government should investigate allegations of corruption printed in newspapers rather than taking legal action against journalists.
1 comment:
Ah Sok An double chin pig face can't stand the truth?
Well! Well! Well! Maybe you can tell all Cambodian people how did you became so rich! You are such a master in the art of real estate deal making and you own countless villa and land! What the newspaper Moneaksekar Khmer said can't even compare to what you have or own through blatant corruption! I don't need to say much!
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