Dam Sith, Editor-in-chief of the Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper which supports the opposition party (Photo: RFA archive)Moneaksekar Khmer Editor-in-chief arrested by the authority
08 June 2008
By Chea Makara
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Dam Sith, the editor-in-chief of the Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper, was sent to the Prey Sar prison in the evening of 08 June after he was arrested by the authority and taken to the Phnom Penh municipal court to be charged with disinformation and defamation in the lawsuit brought up by Hor Namhong.
Normally, the court does not work on Sunday, however, Dam Sith’s arrest and his questioning by the court today (Sunday) were conducted without any clear explanation provided.
Last week, Dam Sith was invited to clarify the court regarding the publication of an article saying that Hor Namhong was a former Boeng Trabek jail chief under the KR regime. Dam Sith’s newspaper article was citing a statement made by opposition leader Sam Rainsy.
Hor Namhong told reporters that he was not a KR leader. He claimed that he was a victim like others under the KR regime. During his clarification at the court last week, Dam Sith accused Hor Namhong of using his power to violate the rights of journalists, and that the lawsuit was political.
Chuk Chung Ngy, Dam Sith’s lawyer, indicated that he does not think Dam Sith’s publication citing Sam Rainsy can be construed as defamation.
Chuk Chung Ngy said: “As a lawyer studying this case, there is no fault related to publication of disinformation or defamation … that’s what I found out by studying this case. And the immediate arrest (of Dam Sith) is a political matter…”
The NRP condemned Dam Sith’s arrest, and said that the defamation and disinformation charges were not right, they constitute a severe threat on the freedom of the press and the freedom of expression.
The NRP wrote in its Sunday’s communiqué that the use of the criminal law against journalists is a violation of the law.
Normally, the court does not work on Sunday, however, Dam Sith’s arrest and his questioning by the court today (Sunday) were conducted without any clear explanation provided.
Last week, Dam Sith was invited to clarify the court regarding the publication of an article saying that Hor Namhong was a former Boeng Trabek jail chief under the KR regime. Dam Sith’s newspaper article was citing a statement made by opposition leader Sam Rainsy.
Hor Namhong told reporters that he was not a KR leader. He claimed that he was a victim like others under the KR regime. During his clarification at the court last week, Dam Sith accused Hor Namhong of using his power to violate the rights of journalists, and that the lawsuit was political.
Chuk Chung Ngy, Dam Sith’s lawyer, indicated that he does not think Dam Sith’s publication citing Sam Rainsy can be construed as defamation.
Chuk Chung Ngy said: “As a lawyer studying this case, there is no fault related to publication of disinformation or defamation … that’s what I found out by studying this case. And the immediate arrest (of Dam Sith) is a political matter…”
The NRP condemned Dam Sith’s arrest, and said that the defamation and disinformation charges were not right, they constitute a severe threat on the freedom of the press and the freedom of expression.
The NRP wrote in its Sunday’s communiqué that the use of the criminal law against journalists is a violation of the law.
19 comments:
I really cannot immagine that Cambodian government is not ashamed to use jungle laws against their own citizen. This is a real hell on earth where a media is to be jailled for reminding a position of a former Khmer rouge leader in which this idiot khmer rouge has admitted himself for many times in the public. What kind of democratic society for this kind of justice system? I believe that in a real democratic system, the person alleged by the media should be resigned himself from his position for a full investigation. But this Cambodian court has turned it upside down. What a hell on earth? Areak Prey
Even so, Ah Dam Sith idiot has no right to cheat and assault on Democracy by being a journalist and opposition politician at the same time. No want want that type of democracy in Cambodia. Even the King is not a journalist.
Forget about the democracy; there isn't any!
Is anyone interested in buying democracy for a decent price for a mere $20 billion U.S. dollars?
Let us know, and we'll make an arrangement for the talks with the U.S. ambassador.
Cambodia under Hun Sen leadership is the jungle country, the court is the tool of those animal who has no brain and mentality for Khmers, but for foreigner.
No fair election in Cambodia under Hun Sen's leadership, the best puppet of Youn in this century...
Vote SRP for a bright future and change of Cambodia.
No the court is used to crack down on Scammers like Ah Scam Rainxy or Ah Dam Sith.
Every journalists ought to strictly follow their journalistic code of ethics, and should always telling the truth (not doctored or manufactured the story).
if there are still people support the jungle law, Cambodia will not get out from Khmer Rouge nightmare.
Thw orst scam doct is a Hun Sen and aah Khieu Kanharith
Boy!!
WHAT a COUNTRY???
CAMBODJUNK IS SUCKED BIG TIME.
TAKE OVER CAMBODIA BEFORE THE BABOONS WILL STRIKE MILLION MORE THEIR OWN PEOPLE.
Sorry but there isn't going to be anymore 1970 in Cambodia, alright?
Cambodia,
Hor Nam Hon is God, no one can cretizise ihm. What´s a the law in Cambodia wright now?
No libel, No scam, is that too hard to understand?
CPP should not play this game. SRP try to do all the ways to show that CPP is wrong. In basketball, if one team want to beat Laker easyly, just allow their player to make foul to make injure Kobe Bryant.
The same this case, SRP creates this story by allowing Dam Sith to unresponsibility writting something. Of course, he will be arrested and CPP will be blamed from everywhere.
To 9:25PM
That is bullshit! The sad part is that you even use the wrong analogy! Ahhahahhahahha!
The SRP is a political team! The CPP is also a political team! Mr. Sam Rainsy is the head of the SRP team and AH HUN SEN is the head of the CPP team!
Hey! Mr. Sam Rainsy said those words and Sam Dith is only quoting him when writing the newspaper and he got frame for it?
I say fuck your logic! Ahahhahhahah
Don't you think it only right that AH HOR NAMBITCH go after Mr. Sam Rainsy for saying those words against him?
The fucken CPP clan thinks that they own Cambodia and they can fuck around with any Cambodian people who are weaker than them and this is just one of the countless actions that the CPP have taken over the years to silent the opposition party!
How the mother fucker CPP suppress people and the whole world do not see it!
As I knew Cambodia belong to The CPP with surpport of Vietnam and use the west money and also west aid for strenhting the power of dictatorship over there. The west wanted to help Cambodian people but opposite they help those dictatorship.
Hey, that is the norm in Asia. Don't like it, scram.
Well fuck off you fucking Viet parasite @5:29 AM!
Cambodia has Zero-Tolerance for politician who own the media. Go west if that is what you want.
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