Dam Sith, editor of Moneaksekar Khmer (Khmer Conscience) (Photo: RFA)18 September 2006
Source: Southeast Asia Press Alliance (SEAPA)/Cambodian Association for Protection of Journalists (CAPJ)
The Cambodian Association for Protection of Journalists (CAPJ) is concerned that the country's courts are still using the 1992 UNTAC Penal Code (drawn by the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia) instead of the superseding 1995 Press Law to prosecute a journalist.
Dam Sith, editor-in-chief and publisher of the newspaper "Khmer Conscience", had written a newspaper article accusing Deputy Prime Minister Sok An of corruption. On 15 September 2006, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced him in absentia to a fine of eight million riel (USD2,000) for disinformation and 10 million riel (USD2,500) for defaming the government. The court based its decision on article 62 of the UNTAC law, which provides for a jail term of six months up to three years, a fine of one million to 10 million riels, or both.
Neither Dam Sith nor his attorney was at the trial. Dam Sith left the country after a complaint was lodged against him over the 13 June article entitled "Sok An attacks Cambodian People's Party leaders over corruption".
In the article, Dam Sith quoted an anonymous source claiming that Sok An and other leaders of the ruling Cambodian People's Party were corrupt and had taken bribes of one cent up to millions of dollars. The source also revealed the inequality in benefit sharing among the party leaders.
Dam Sith said the information was from an official source, but he refused to reveal the name as a matter of journalistic ethics.
CAPJ supports Dam Sith's stand as it is the duty of journalists to protect the identity of their sources.
CAPJ calls on the Phnom Penh court to retry Dam Sith's and to use the Press Law instead of the UNTAC Penal Code when prosecuting journalists for defamation.
The Press Law contains provisions that promote and protect press freedom including confidentiality of sources. Article 20 states that "no person shall face criminal liability for the expression of opinions".
The Cambodian Association for Protection of Journalists (CAPJ) is concerned that the country's courts are still using the 1992 UNTAC Penal Code (drawn by the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia) instead of the superseding 1995 Press Law to prosecute a journalist.
Dam Sith, editor-in-chief and publisher of the newspaper "Khmer Conscience", had written a newspaper article accusing Deputy Prime Minister Sok An of corruption. On 15 September 2006, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced him in absentia to a fine of eight million riel (USD2,000) for disinformation and 10 million riel (USD2,500) for defaming the government. The court based its decision on article 62 of the UNTAC law, which provides for a jail term of six months up to three years, a fine of one million to 10 million riels, or both.
Neither Dam Sith nor his attorney was at the trial. Dam Sith left the country after a complaint was lodged against him over the 13 June article entitled "Sok An attacks Cambodian People's Party leaders over corruption".
In the article, Dam Sith quoted an anonymous source claiming that Sok An and other leaders of the ruling Cambodian People's Party were corrupt and had taken bribes of one cent up to millions of dollars. The source also revealed the inequality in benefit sharing among the party leaders.
Dam Sith said the information was from an official source, but he refused to reveal the name as a matter of journalistic ethics.
CAPJ supports Dam Sith's stand as it is the duty of journalists to protect the identity of their sources.
CAPJ calls on the Phnom Penh court to retry Dam Sith's and to use the Press Law instead of the UNTAC Penal Code when prosecuting journalists for defamation.
The Press Law contains provisions that promote and protect press freedom including confidentiality of sources. Article 20 states that "no person shall face criminal liability for the expression of opinions".
3 comments:
I thought AH HUN SEN was so concerned about pornography issue in Cambodian society! Now why the fuck he sent all these journalist to jail? Who said AH HUN SEN can't use pornography issue to crack down on the free press or the internet?
You will get eventually get caught if you make up stories too many times.
SiS
Once again good old Sok An and the CPP love to pick and choose law that is beneficial to them. It not a matter of fair and just it a matter of what methods or what laws i can use today to lock/silence this guy or the khmer civilian up ..for the purpose that they reveal the truth about the CPP/government corruption and poor performance.Hence Ah Hun Sen or Sok An his In-law cant handle it...
I mean since Ah Hun Sen in power how many time did he "lip services" the Khmer people and doner countries about fixing corruption?. I mean how hard is it to make the Anti-corruption bills into laws. The answer is very hard because the CPP and Ah Hun Sen knows that lauching this law is like placing a rope on Ah Hun Sen necks.
If you are not corrupted as claimed, then it not that hard to reveal your assets, unless you are then you shouldn't disclose your asset and keep opposing it.
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