New York, June 26, 2009--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the sentencing today of Hang Chakra, editor-in-chief of the opposition Khmer-language daily Khmer Machas Srok, to one year in prison stemming from his reports on alleged government corruption.
According to the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), a Cambodian court ruled that Hang Chakra violated criminal disinformation laws by publishing a series of articles that accused officials working under Deputy Prime Minister Sok An of corruption. The court also fined the editor 9,000 riels (US$2,250), according to SEAPA.
Cambodia's National Assembly decriminalized defamation in 2007, a move many hoped would end the legal harassment of journalists who reported critically on government affairs. But journalists still risk criminal prosecution and maximum three-year jail terms on disinformation charges, which are outlined in the penal code that was enacted under the former United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). Cambodian newspapers, including the Phnom Penh Post, denounced the verdict, and quoted Hang Chakra as saying "this is the cruelest thing to happen to me."
In a June 4 article in the Phnom Penh Post Hang Chakra said he stood by the story. "When the prosecutor asked me to show them more information, I told them that I stood by the information published in my newspaper and told them that I could not reveal the source of the information."
The paper pointed out that under the Press Law, publishing "false" information, while a criminal offense, carries only a fine of up to 5 million riels (US$1,250). "But the UNTAC criminal code contains much harsher punishments," the paper noted, "with offenders facing a prison term of between six months and three years, and a fine of up to 10 million riels."
UNTAC's legal authority expired with the promulgation of a new national constitution in 1993; the 1995 Press Law broadly protects press freedoms. But since the decriminalization of defamation, Cambodian officials have resorted to the UNTAC-era criminal code to clamp down on media criticism.
"We urge the relevant Cambodian authorities to release journalist Hang Chakra," said Bob Dietz, CPJ's Asia Program Director. "Cambodia's 1995 Press Law broadly protects press freedom, and rulings such as these run counter to the letter and spirit of that legislation. The court should not rely on outdated laws to prosecute journalists who report on government corruption."
It is not clear whether Hang Chakra will appeal. The ruling comes amid a wider crack down on free expression in Cambodia that has targeted government critics including two opposition politicians who have been stripped of their parliamentary immunity so that defamation charges may be brought against them.
According to the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), a Cambodian court ruled that Hang Chakra violated criminal disinformation laws by publishing a series of articles that accused officials working under Deputy Prime Minister Sok An of corruption. The court also fined the editor 9,000 riels (US$2,250), according to SEAPA.
Cambodia's National Assembly decriminalized defamation in 2007, a move many hoped would end the legal harassment of journalists who reported critically on government affairs. But journalists still risk criminal prosecution and maximum three-year jail terms on disinformation charges, which are outlined in the penal code that was enacted under the former United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC). Cambodian newspapers, including the Phnom Penh Post, denounced the verdict, and quoted Hang Chakra as saying "this is the cruelest thing to happen to me."
In a June 4 article in the Phnom Penh Post Hang Chakra said he stood by the story. "When the prosecutor asked me to show them more information, I told them that I stood by the information published in my newspaper and told them that I could not reveal the source of the information."
The paper pointed out that under the Press Law, publishing "false" information, while a criminal offense, carries only a fine of up to 5 million riels (US$1,250). "But the UNTAC criminal code contains much harsher punishments," the paper noted, "with offenders facing a prison term of between six months and three years, and a fine of up to 10 million riels."
UNTAC's legal authority expired with the promulgation of a new national constitution in 1993; the 1995 Press Law broadly protects press freedoms. But since the decriminalization of defamation, Cambodian officials have resorted to the UNTAC-era criminal code to clamp down on media criticism.
"We urge the relevant Cambodian authorities to release journalist Hang Chakra," said Bob Dietz, CPJ's Asia Program Director. "Cambodia's 1995 Press Law broadly protects press freedom, and rulings such as these run counter to the letter and spirit of that legislation. The court should not rely on outdated laws to prosecute journalists who report on government corruption."
It is not clear whether Hang Chakra will appeal. The ruling comes amid a wider crack down on free expression in Cambodia that has targeted government critics including two opposition politicians who have been stripped of their parliamentary immunity so that defamation charges may be brought against them.
6 comments:
Hun Sen regime is not different from KR. His goal is to privatize Cambodia and sell it to Vietnam at the end. Starting from recent lifting opposition immunity to sentencing of Hang Chakra benefit nothing to the nation, but to silence all those critics and defame Cambodia in the world stage.
Hun Sen's alternative is to eliminate SRP and his team-works, and support another opposition party (may be Human Rights Party, only the name of this party already shows its intent to eliminate human rights NGOs in Cambodia) that can lick Hun Sen's d-i-c-k.
But how Hun Sen can go far and divert the rife happening inside the CPP?
Hun Sen's step to bully oppositions and Hang Chakra is just his habit to indirectly warm his internal opponents.
After Hun Sen died, Cambodia will be fully controlled by Vietnam.
May ligtning strike ah Kwack, SOON!
អាសាច់ងាប់(dead meat) ភីភីយូ (PPU) អាចុយម៉្រាយ អាឯងនឹងត្រូវខ្មែរស្រឡាញ់ជាតិពឹត
ប្រាកដសំឡាប់ចោលទំលាក់ទឹកទន្លេ បួនមុខ ក្នុងពេលឆាប់ៗនេះ។
ពីអញ ឪអា ភីភីយូ(PPU) ឯង!
Mais oui, pour de bon on doit éliminer ce fils de pute, ce salaud PPU.
Gentleman
Freedom of expression should be seen as mechanism to free element of either public sector or private sector continue doing wrong thing relative to public or national interests.
It is similar to mirror that we do need every day for better grooming.
provided these medias are trained and inforced with ETHICS,simply knowing two separate entities clearly,public matters and private matters.
This also applied to our law makers in order to avoid what's so called Defamation game.Those with concience will be reluctant to make such wrong decision by the other,and become remorseful.
As human,many of us would try to jump over or push the fence away,but this should not be for those who know the rule of laws unless being blinded by ignorance, power and greed;and anger is an act out of these miserable bondage.
As cambodians and buddhists,we pray these traps will be fading away for safety and welfare of cambodians.
Neang SA
6:33 as long as former KR members are in power, cambodia will remain a battle ground between hyenas and rabbits. Only when the old generation of KRs die out will cambodia see freedom of expression.
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