Monday, 23 March 2009 Written by Chrann Chamroeun
The Phnom Penh Post
MORE than two weeks after his release from Prey Sar prison, Tieng Narith, the former professor convicted of "printing false documents" in connection with a textbook he wrote criticising the government, said in an interview Sunday that he is recuperating from his time behind bars and pondering his next move.
"I am very happy to be freed," he said. "I now have to rest for at least one month to clear my mind."
The 32-year-old former professor, who taught subjects including political philosophy and political science at Preah Sihanouk Raja Buddhist University in Phnom Penh for nearly four years, was convicted in September 2007 of printing false documents, an offense that carries a sentence of six months to three years. He was released March 6 after serving his full two-and-a-half year sentence.
He said the textbook "attacked" the government and accused the ruling Cambodian People's Party of corruption-related crimes. But he said the criticisms were general and did not target individual officials.
Article 62 of the criminal code outlaws "information which is false, fabricated, falsified or untruthfully attributed to a third person ... in bad faith and with malicious intent, provided that the publication, distribution or reproduction has disturbed or is likely to disturb the public peace".
Miech Ponn, 75, a researcher at the Buddhist Institute in Phnom Penh, said Tieng Narith was guilty only of voicing his opposition to government policies. He echoed the professor's view that the criticism was largely harmless because it did not target individuals.
Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, called the textbook a "ridiculous verbal attack" that had little academic merit.
He added, though, that he did not think the professor should have been arrested or imprisoned.
"I am very happy to be freed," he said. "I now have to rest for at least one month to clear my mind."
The 32-year-old former professor, who taught subjects including political philosophy and political science at Preah Sihanouk Raja Buddhist University in Phnom Penh for nearly four years, was convicted in September 2007 of printing false documents, an offense that carries a sentence of six months to three years. He was released March 6 after serving his full two-and-a-half year sentence.
He said the textbook "attacked" the government and accused the ruling Cambodian People's Party of corruption-related crimes. But he said the criticisms were general and did not target individual officials.
Article 62 of the criminal code outlaws "information which is false, fabricated, falsified or untruthfully attributed to a third person ... in bad faith and with malicious intent, provided that the publication, distribution or reproduction has disturbed or is likely to disturb the public peace".
Miech Ponn, 75, a researcher at the Buddhist Institute in Phnom Penh, said Tieng Narith was guilty only of voicing his opposition to government policies. He echoed the professor's view that the criticism was largely harmless because it did not target individuals.
Ou Virak, president of the Cambodian Centre for Human Rights, called the textbook a "ridiculous verbal attack" that had little academic merit.
He added, though, that he did not think the professor should have been arrested or imprisoned.
37 comments:
Love to have his book to read and keep it for my kids..
Tieng Narith is a khmer hero, all we as know khmer people in Cambodia never have Freedom of Right or Freedom of Speach. I am so happy for him to be a free man. His convicted for the true came out regarding what Hun Sen goverment treating khmer people.
I hope more Khme people is very brave like Mr. Narith. God blest you and your's family.
Kaun Khme in blood
Next hero, please!
Only if you guys really see the "book". It isn't criticism; it was mainly outrageous cussing with the most profanity I have ever seen in my life. Mr. Narith was suffering from some sorts of hallucination. I am saying this as an outspoken critic of the Hun Sen government.
What evidence do you have of this?
Why would this educated educator write a book of profanity>
Where's your proof? C'mon, give us a quote form the book
A BRAVE MAN .. an other Khmer HERO ..
Any khmer individual or not, who stand up for right and wrong will be persecuted by the CPP, for hanoi will not allow these individual to get away or without suffering.
Hanoi surely got the CPP by the neck til death due them all parts.
from what i've read, he was arrested because he use a lot of "verbal attack" on gov't and his his textbook goal has no merit in teaching the students anything. even students are getting bored from reading his verbal attack. there ought to be a discretion in using too much verbal attack, you know. where is the civilized society? cambodian people deserve better treatment than this! being constructive in the criticism is one thing, but being annoyed and obnoxious by using too much verbal attack is another story! even the freedom of expression does have its limitation, you know! god bless cambodia.
yes, too much verbal attack deserves a smack in the head occasionally, although violence is not tolerated! go figure!
I really wish I had a copy of the book to witness myself whether it was an attack, a broad criticsim or simply statements concerning the truth.
Under HUN SEN everything is still communist. You can't speak freely.
They have all their spies or agents monitor you all 7/24 hrs.
They claim themselves as democracy country but inside it's not.
Just a book cover.
They still practice their communist tactics.
All Khmer Patriotic please rise up or please flee to Thai border and form a resistance to fight the puppet government.
Khmen/Thai
1:45 AM What wrong with the verbal attack ? He is so right about CPP are youn dogs , CPP leaders are YOUN tranformer and puppet .. people like you are no gut to expose event you know most of khmer high rang position are control by youn tranformer.
BE PROUD FOR PROFESSOR TEANG NARITH ..He have a big GUT to talk to fight for Khmer , I mean for Khmer purpose , event He know what kind of danger he facing ..
Cambodia is presently promoting only monky to be leadinghuman specy. If you are too clever, too intelligence, you will end up in jail. While they buy all Phd from internet for US$ 1000 with good art design and good university name in the space. Areak PRey
please be civilized, critic is one thing, but verbal abuse like cursing, name calling, personal attack due to god given trait or what have you is another thing. imagine, people do up to you and called you derogatory names like twerp, nincapoop, guppy, KR, baby killer, thief, pussy, dickhead, one-eyed, lacky and so on, would you get mad? same concept here, my dear! where is the justice for slandering, here? isn't it against the law to denigrate publica of official? even in the USA, they have law against slandering or threatening of publica official, you know! so, what make people think cambodia is an exception to the rule like this? go figure! i problem i see here is not so much the freedom of expression anymore, it is the abuse of such freedom that something to consider a law to protect the rights of public official. there is a right and a wrong way to do thing, and name calling and personal verbal attack in not one of them, you know. that's all! being a critics is one thing, but being a pain in the ass is not tolerable! i think some people ought to be educated to understand the difference, you know! god bless cambodia.
You have to be a communist to think it is the right thing to arrest someone because they express their opinion. Freedom of speech is the right for any individual under democracy. Have you seen anyone got arrested in any democratic countries besides Cambodia? Maybe it is in China, North Korea, Burma, Iran ect... How would you feel when you can't express yourself for any circumstances? Is this the path you wanted Cambodia to persue?
The both strong-man Sihanouk , Hun Sen and their troupes are the same
in rulling the country.
If he is sick. You don't put sick people in jail. It is political motivated move by the ruling CPP party to eliminating freedom of speech. It is definitely an oppressed society in Cambodia. If we condone this kind of mentality Cambodia will never strive... and it only happen under illiterate leadership. People got brain would not this is the right thing to do.
please put the action where your mouth is, first! blah blah blah with no sense of direction! what good is it?
We would like to take hat off for Khmer Hero,Tieng Narith.
Cheers,
Sacravatoons
Teang Narith should be named "Prisoner of Conscience".
His book should be online? Can any one help?
Guys, Put it this way. When you live under the Commies Regime like Hun Sen the Temple Boy. Do not try to criticize the fool. He doesn't want anybody to speak out the truth. The guys and ccp is the EXTERMINATOR. Joint them and grab some land and keep Khmer stupid for generation to come or else. That's why our country is still week till this day. If we all have the gut like Philippine back in the '80 between Marcos And Aguino I'll be nice. But we need our Khmer RCAF back up. But Hooker Sen is ahead of the game by kicking out Ke Kimyan out of the power. We'll anyway, we and Hooker Sen will get stuck in the 19 Century. Soon or later there'll no Cambodia. Because all of them leave the country in search for Freedom. And Cambodia will be infest by Hanoi Hooker. And Phom Penh will be call Nam Yang etc.
From LOL:=)
Sure, Hun Sen's politics will leave Khmer land empty...many good and capable Khmers are seeking other countries to live...those cannot open their eyes to see a fool lead the country.
This is one of the Uncle Ho's tactics.
There is no such law in the US to put a person in jail, unless that individual life is in danger. Personal attack is a simple freedom of speech. When you are leading the country, it is expected for criticism. You can not put a person in jail if they disagree with you.
Yeah, you got your freedom of speech, and we got our freedom to suit for defamation, but when you don't have money (thousands in damages) to pay like in the US, then you have to pay with your time in Jail. So what difference does it makes?
4:57 I agree with you. But this is not US or Europe either. This is Khmer. Look at Toul Sleng for instance. Most of them get get slaughter there are professor and well educated people. Khmer people been oppressed for so many ceunturies. The King Father is Sin-Khmer. Now in Beijing try to excaped from Genocide Tribunal. Hun Sen is Khmer Rouge Soldier also. Why none of these people ever supoena for a genocidal trial? The international that help Cambodia end up in Hun Sen swiss account. Khmer people will be vanish from the planet of the earth soon.
From LOL:=)
I notice that most of you support the U.S. Well, the US gave Cambodia just $5.6 million last year. That's about 30 cents a person for the whole year.
You have no right right to criticize us. Why don't you keep your 30 cents and keep your white pedophiles out of our country, too?
What Hun Sen and his evil comrades have treated Khmer people is far worse than Teang Narith wrote in his book. Hun Sen and his evil comrades hate the naked truth. When the naked truth reveal to much about their criminal acts, they use their babaric laws to put him in prison, as one example to show the others not to mess around with Hun Sen the dictator. Anyway, I admire your courage to speak out about what you have seen. You are a brave man!
correction: than what Teang . . .
3:18AM,
Only a retarded person would go straight to you and call you all names you mentioned if you have not done anything to hurt or harm him.
To me he is definitely NOT a hero. However, I admire his brave to speak up against the corrupt regime. Texts in his book may be insufficient with the quality in terms of academic references. You have been a university professor for about 4 years. You might be branded as an academic. So your published book also needs to be reflected in academic way. You are unable to produce it, you failed it, you loose the case, and you ended in jail. That is the consequence.
Again, your courage speaking up about corruption practice by the CPP government is so applauded.
My advice for 5:50Am
For 30cents US in Srok Xmer. You can buy a kilo of prohook Siem Riep and Shovel in you and your current government in the ass for a whole year.
If you notice many Cambodian history textbooks these days, Hun Sen's biography never lists him as a peasant who joined the radical communist Khmer Rouge. Instead, it says something like:
"Former Buddhist pagoda student Hun Sen proudly joined a freedom movement group to liberate Cambodia from American imperialism"
Also, Khmer Rouge history is always downplayed.
If you guy did anything wrong you will get in jail!Like in USA who want to do against the law will be in jail!
hey, no looking down on other people who had a mediocre beginning due to injustice or whatever! we want to end the cycle on violence, and it was good that all of cambodian stories was history now. let's start fresh and new. life is too short and there are more important things for cambodia than blinding picking a fight like some kind of street gangs who do not respect any law. i think it is good that all khmer people are encouraged to speak up and voice their opinion. this is a democracy in fledgling. we must cater to it like parents takes diligent care of their enfant children. god bless cambodia.
If you voted for CPP (Cambodian People's Party):
Also known as:
Communist Party of Kampuchea
Khmer Revolution Party
Khmer Rouge Party
Khmer Krorhorm Party - គណបក្សខ្មែរក្រហម
You're support the killing of 1.7 million innocent Khmer peoples from 1975 to 1979 in Cambodia.
You're support the killing at least twelve innocent men, women and children on March 30, 1997 Grenade Attack in Cambodia.
You're support assassination of journalists in Cambodia.
You're support political assassination and killing in Cambodia.
You're support attempted assassination and murder of leader of the free trade union in Cambodia.
You're support corruptions in Cambodia.
You're support murder of Piseth Pilika (Hun Sen's affaire).
You're support Hun Sen Regime burn poor people's house down to the ground and leave them homeless.
Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin was a former Khmer Rouge commanders.
Now, Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin are Khmer Rouge leaders, since their leader (Pol Pot) is dead.
From 1975 to 1979, these Khmer Rouge commanders responsible for killing 1.7 million innocent Khmer peoples in Cambodia.
From 1980 to present, these Khmer Rouge leaders responsible for killing innocent men, women and children on March 30, 1997, assassinated journalists, political assassination and killing, murder of Piseth Pilika (Hun Sen's affaire) and attempted assassinate and murder of leader of the free trade union in Cambodia.
When is the ECCC going to bring these three criminals to U.N. Khmer Rouge Tribunal?
Khmer Rouge Regime is a genocide organization.
Hun Sen Regime is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Bodyguards is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Death Squad is a terrorist organization.
Cambodian People's Party is a terrorist organization.
I have declare the current Cambodian government which is lead by the Cambodian People's Party as a terrorist organization.
Whoever associate with the current Cambodian government are associate with a terrorist organization.
Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Torture
Execution
Massacre
Atrocities
War Crimes
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Overwork to Death
Slavery
Rapes
Abuses
Assault and Battery
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Regime had committed:
Assassination
Murder
Killing
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Intimidation
Death Threat
Threatening
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Mass Evictions
Land Grabbing
Corruptions
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Acid Attacks
Injustice
Steal Votes
Violate the Constitution
These are the Trade Marks of Hun Sen's Khmer Rouge Regime.
Under Hun Sen Regime, no criminals that has been committed murder and all other crimes within Hun Sen's government ever been brought to justice.
Information change without notice as it become available.
The president of Red Cross of Cambodia (Bun Rany) had order Municipal Police Chief of Phnom Penh (Hok Lundy) to murder Piseth Pilika (Hun Sen's Affaire).
Hun Sen = Bun Rany's husband
Bun Rany = President of Red Cross of Cambodia
Hok Lundy = Municipal Police Chief of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Piseth Pilika = Hun Sen's Affaire
Statement of Heng Peov
http://ia311543.us.archive.org/1/items/HengPoevStatementofHengPoev/Statement_of_Heng_Peov.pdf
Next hero, please!
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