Dam Sith (L) smells freedom yesterday leaving Phnom Penh's Prey Sar Prison, accompanied by Kuoy Bunroeun (SRP MP).Monday, 16 June 2008
Neth Pheaktra
The Mekong Times
After an arrest and detention that has provoked fierce international criticism, Dam Sith, editor-in-chief of the pro-Sam Rainsy Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper, was yesterday released from Prey Sar Prison on bail.
The release came after a personal appeal from Prime Minister Hun Sen to Phnom Penh Municipal Court President Chiv Keng.
Dam Sith, also standing as a SRP parliamentarian candidate for Phnom Penh, thanked newspapers, national and international civil society organizations, politicians, SRP leaders and Prime Minister Hun Sen for their help in securing his release.
Despite thanking Hun Sen for his intervention, Dam Sith stressed he will not change his political orientation and that Moneaksekar Khmer will continue to be pro-opposition. “I, Dam Sith, will continue to maintain my original stance,” he emphasized.
“One could say that my release is an improvement in press freedom. But for me, [the arrest] is a violation of a journalist’s rights. The arrest shows the pressure on journalists and the political sector as well,” Dam Sith told reporters upon his release.
The premier’s role in Dam Sith’s release was uncertain, with Dam Sith himself saying he had only heard of Hun Sen’s intervention over the radio.
Hun Sen said yesterday he had ordered Dam Sith to be bailed “because [I] see that Dam Sith cannot run away.” The premier underlined that Dam Sith would still face legal proceedings.
Sam Rainsy said Dam Sith’s release was “no thanks to anyone.”
“[The] arrest and release of Dam Sith is a piece of theater that should not have happened since the beginning,” he said. “[O]ur authorities are dictatorial, do not respect the law, legal procedure and constitutional law. … This means that democracy in our country is moving backwards.”
Media and civil society organizations, journalists and the Ministry of Information welcomed Dam Sith’s release.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, who last week requested the Phnom Penh Municipal Court release Dam Sith, could not be reached for comment. However, Thieng Vandarong, under secretary of state at the Information Ministry said: “On behalf of the Ministry of Information, we welcome the decision of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to release Dam Sith on bail at Samdech Decho Hun Sen’s request.”
Pen Samithy, president of the Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ), said he was “very pleased” over Dam Sith’s release. “The CCJ continues to observe the case,” he said. “We also hope that Hor Nam Hong will withdraw his lawsuit against Dam Sith and that he will file his complaint only against Sam Rainsy.”
Local human rights group president Kek Galabru expressed concern over other cases that have not received Hun Sen’s attention. She said that Cambodia “must abide by the foundations of democracy that it has promised … the right and freedom of access to information and freedom of expression.”
The release came after a personal appeal from Prime Minister Hun Sen to Phnom Penh Municipal Court President Chiv Keng.
Dam Sith, also standing as a SRP parliamentarian candidate for Phnom Penh, thanked newspapers, national and international civil society organizations, politicians, SRP leaders and Prime Minister Hun Sen for their help in securing his release.
Despite thanking Hun Sen for his intervention, Dam Sith stressed he will not change his political orientation and that Moneaksekar Khmer will continue to be pro-opposition. “I, Dam Sith, will continue to maintain my original stance,” he emphasized.
“One could say that my release is an improvement in press freedom. But for me, [the arrest] is a violation of a journalist’s rights. The arrest shows the pressure on journalists and the political sector as well,” Dam Sith told reporters upon his release.
The premier’s role in Dam Sith’s release was uncertain, with Dam Sith himself saying he had only heard of Hun Sen’s intervention over the radio.
Hun Sen said yesterday he had ordered Dam Sith to be bailed “because [I] see that Dam Sith cannot run away.” The premier underlined that Dam Sith would still face legal proceedings.
Sam Rainsy said Dam Sith’s release was “no thanks to anyone.”
“[The] arrest and release of Dam Sith is a piece of theater that should not have happened since the beginning,” he said. “[O]ur authorities are dictatorial, do not respect the law, legal procedure and constitutional law. … This means that democracy in our country is moving backwards.”
Media and civil society organizations, journalists and the Ministry of Information welcomed Dam Sith’s release.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, who last week requested the Phnom Penh Municipal Court release Dam Sith, could not be reached for comment. However, Thieng Vandarong, under secretary of state at the Information Ministry said: “On behalf of the Ministry of Information, we welcome the decision of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to release Dam Sith on bail at Samdech Decho Hun Sen’s request.”
Pen Samithy, president of the Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ), said he was “very pleased” over Dam Sith’s release. “The CCJ continues to observe the case,” he said. “We also hope that Hor Nam Hong will withdraw his lawsuit against Dam Sith and that he will file his complaint only against Sam Rainsy.”
Local human rights group president Kek Galabru expressed concern over other cases that have not received Hun Sen’s attention. She said that Cambodia “must abide by the foundations of democracy that it has promised … the right and freedom of access to information and freedom of expression.”
15 comments:
You guy are looking great in the pictre , you are all KHMER hero , please keep up with your wonderful mission impossiple to bring democracy to CAMBODIA.
with my respect from KOUN KHMER TORONTO canada.
MAY LORD BUDHA PROTECT ALL KHMERS HERO..
Congraluations to the release of Dam sith. It is merely the National & International pressures on the release rather than the intervention from Hun Sen. It is also very clear that the court system in Cambodia is totally bia to the Hun Sen Government and it also proves that all the power is in one man's hand.
Everybody in Cambodia is scare of this sole person. The Senate, the parlment, the government, the Justice are just Hun Sen's instruments.
We are living in the 21th Century. We must change this ridiculous culture.
The tribunal worked and put Dam Seth in Jail on Sunday and released him on the next Sunday.
What does it mean: working on Sunday? Surely on order from Hun Sen.
The Tribunal like others institutions are Hun Sen's stools.
Cambodia should abolish this very uncivilised culture of arresting people for just making their freedom of expression. If not, there will be no more investors coming into Cambodia for investment. Why they came here for?
Areak Prey
Dear Areak Prey
I agree with you. Cambodia need to abolish the Cult of Personality.
You can see on TV how Government officials answer to Hun sen:they raised up, joined their two hands.....before speaking,like Hun Sen's servants or dogs..
ah kher yuan pretender wouldn't agree with that. he need sunday to lick Hun Shit
It is my sincere hope that no one in the government does not take the newly released accuser down to placate the government's boss (PM Hun Sen).
Everyone loves PM Hun Sen for freeing them from the Khmer-Rouge and Ah Khmer-Yuon abuses, rapes, and killings. Anything PM wants, he get, period. Don't like it, scram!
You see opposition parliament members, international community, NGO or even ministry of information can not reverse the injustice decision of the court . Only Samdach Hun Sen can!!
The court should order more arrests, so that Samdach Hun Sen will get more "Thank You" when he help them to be released.
Yes you are right 12:31 pm,
Jeyo! Som Dach AKAK Seva Day Chor Hun Sen!
we bare our heart to learn and fight back seek our right .
I agreed 12:31pm, Only Hun Sen can get and do what he wants.even with the court which should be independent..
another good news for the hope of a true democracy? please keep us the good work! god bless cambodia.
We will never have true democracy until we end all commie's controlled media.
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