Cambodia jails news editor despite outcry
Phnom Penh - A Cambodian newspaper editor was in jail Tuesday despite the intervention of the country's Information Ministry seeking his release and a rising outcry from rights and media groups.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said his ministry had personally written to Phnom Penh Municipal Court requesting the release of Dam Sith, editor of pro-opposition Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper and a senior member of the Sam Rainsy Party.
Sith was arrested Sunday on charges of defamation, 'insult' and disinformation and jailed when the court determined that he was a threat to interfere with witnesses, even though none of the charges are criminal offenses.
His charges stem from the newspaper quoting allegedly defamatory remarks regarding Deputy Prime Minister and Cambodian People's Party politburo member Hor Namhong made by opposition leader Sam Rainsy.
'I must stress this is a personal matter ... and nothing to do with the government,' Kanharith said by telephone.
Sith's continuing detention in Phnom Penh's notorious Prey Sar prison has drawn protests from media groups including the South-east Asian Press Alliance, Reporters Without Borders and Cambodia's largest journalism organization, the Club of Cambodian Journalists.
It has also concerned human rights groups who say that with a national election due on July 27, it sends a negative message to voters and potentially silences a leading opposition voice.
Sith's newspaper is the most widely read opposition newspaper in the country.
On Tuesday, Rainsy held a press conference calling for police to arrest him and exchange him for Sith, but without response.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said his ministry had personally written to Phnom Penh Municipal Court requesting the release of Dam Sith, editor of pro-opposition Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper and a senior member of the Sam Rainsy Party.
Sith was arrested Sunday on charges of defamation, 'insult' and disinformation and jailed when the court determined that he was a threat to interfere with witnesses, even though none of the charges are criminal offenses.
His charges stem from the newspaper quoting allegedly defamatory remarks regarding Deputy Prime Minister and Cambodian People's Party politburo member Hor Namhong made by opposition leader Sam Rainsy.
'I must stress this is a personal matter ... and nothing to do with the government,' Kanharith said by telephone.
Sith's continuing detention in Phnom Penh's notorious Prey Sar prison has drawn protests from media groups including the South-east Asian Press Alliance, Reporters Without Borders and Cambodia's largest journalism organization, the Club of Cambodian Journalists.
It has also concerned human rights groups who say that with a national election due on July 27, it sends a negative message to voters and potentially silences a leading opposition voice.
Sith's newspaper is the most widely read opposition newspaper in the country.
On Tuesday, Rainsy held a press conference calling for police to arrest him and exchange him for Sith, but without response.
10 comments:
Doesn't Ah Xkam Rainxy knows about anything but lie, lie, and lie: on one hand, he continuously complained about lack of media coverage, and on the other hand, he's now saying that he got the most widely read media in the country.
I say we lock them both up for life, no exchange shit.
11:12 pm. You should go back to
Hanoi or move to Burma and stop posting your comment here.because your mind is so polute. don't spread your poluttion mind to our beolved khmers people let them have thier freedom in thier own land.Thanks and God bless all Khmers
They not want you SR they want to harass population to isolate you and have and legal asolute power!
Can you all see International community and UN are you blind in one eye too?
Mr. Ho Nam Hong should withdraw your case before the court! Actually you are guilty by association with Khmers Rouges. It is easy for people to believe that you were one of them, because you went back to Cambodia after the fall of Phnom Penh and the Khmer Rouges took over Cambodia. On top of it, you are survivor and part of the current government of Cambodia that was originally created by Viet Nam Army. You don't want to be in prison, tortured or killed under Khmers Rouges. So shame on you if now you want to put people in jail just because they believe that you were Khmers Rouges like Hun Sen, Heng Sam Rin, Chea Sim. Are those people like Dam Sith, who repeat somebody are guiltier than you or Hun Sen, Chea Sim Heng Sam Rin who were real Khmers Rouges and now Youn puppets? Please, Mr. Ho Nam Hong, if you were human being, withdraw your case before the court. Let be fair and just and have some sense of human being.
I am really tired to read the comments being made by the same person over and over and the language that s/he used. Please, if you disagree or agree with what being written, you should use a better critics that may help us to understand and learn more about different issues being posted. If you like to write such trashy comments, you should identify yourself and be upfront to the issues or news bing posted here and bring factual information for us to learn in the this website.
There are mnay issues that I agrreed/disagrred in this website, but what being posted here is only the information for us to think, to analize, and to learn from it. If you have ideas, thought, and facts tha may help us to learn better, please do. A positive criticism is a healthy one and we should learn from it.
I don't belong to any political parties and I just get sick and tired from reading every trashy, ignorant, and always and always negative about everything being posted in this website
Please, please, please do not allow this kind of comments being posted here unless s/he identifies him/herself. Khmer.
All I have to say to CPP and its slaves like ones posted comments here that you must believe that the position will be static for life, but when that day comes for the same position to be reversed, you will be sure that you wished you didn't impost such situation on weakers.
Bear it in your dick heads.
Chan,
The court doesn't followed order from Ah Scammer (Scam Rainxy). They will issued a warrant to arrest when they are ready, just as they did last time.
12:00Am you are not belong here! please go somewhere else for the news and don't be lost the meaning of "Anonymous comment" . Give stupid people freedome to expression, we need to be heard amoung our stupid group too!
GET lost smart and verry polite person!
12:00Am may you belong to UN???????
Oh, you can go to temple with Tep Vong! Shihanouk did and Hun Sen too!
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