By Erik Wasson
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Despite praise from civil society representatives for the latest draft of the Law on Peaceful Assembly, Ministry of Interior officials on Friday said the government will continue stopping demonstrations that affect public order.
"This version [of the law] is better than the first draft because it has notification rather than permission," Cambodian Legal Education Center Director Yeng Virak said at the second civil society consultation with the government on the law.
In the current version of the law, protestors must "notify" police five days ahead of a demonstration, rather than seek "permission" before holding a demonstration.
If the demonstration has less than 200 people, it can take place in a designated "freedom park" with four hours notice, according to the draft.
Civil society representatives at the conference pressed the Interior Ministry to remove language that stops demonstrations likely to threaten "public order." They also requested that freedom parks be located in crowded areas and hold up to 2,000 protestors.
James Turpin of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights wrote in a report to the meeting that a clause forbidding demonstrations that "harm other people's reputation" should be removed.
Interior Ministry Secretary of State Nuth Sa An said Interior Minister Sar Kheng had already rejected a proposal to allow a 500-person freedom park maximum.
"Some people worry that we would locate it on top of a mountain...they should not worry," Nuth Sa An assured the audience.
On the issue of "public order" though, he stood firm and reiterated it would not be removed.
"You must leave a hole for the government to breathe otherwise the government will die," he said.
After the meeting, Nuth Sa An said the government will not allow demonstrations that affect "political stability." Nuth Sa An said he did not know when the law would be submitted to the Council of Ministers.
"This version [of the law] is better than the first draft because it has notification rather than permission," Cambodian Legal Education Center Director Yeng Virak said at the second civil society consultation with the government on the law.
In the current version of the law, protestors must "notify" police five days ahead of a demonstration, rather than seek "permission" before holding a demonstration.
If the demonstration has less than 200 people, it can take place in a designated "freedom park" with four hours notice, according to the draft.
Civil society representatives at the conference pressed the Interior Ministry to remove language that stops demonstrations likely to threaten "public order." They also requested that freedom parks be located in crowded areas and hold up to 2,000 protestors.
James Turpin of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights wrote in a report to the meeting that a clause forbidding demonstrations that "harm other people's reputation" should be removed.
Interior Ministry Secretary of State Nuth Sa An said Interior Minister Sar Kheng had already rejected a proposal to allow a 500-person freedom park maximum.
"Some people worry that we would locate it on top of a mountain...they should not worry," Nuth Sa An assured the audience.
On the issue of "public order" though, he stood firm and reiterated it would not be removed.
"You must leave a hole for the government to breathe otherwise the government will die," he said.
After the meeting, Nuth Sa An said the government will not allow demonstrations that affect "political stability." Nuth Sa An said he did not know when the law would be submitted to the Council of Ministers.
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