Tuesday, June 16, 2009
PHNOM PENH (AFP) — An international rights group has criticised Cambodia's ruling party for allegedly stifling free speech through the use of legal action against government critics.
New York-based Human Rights Watch called on Premier Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party to stop "its threats, harassment and spurious legal action against members of parliament and lawyers defending free expression".
Cambodian authorities have lodged at least eight criminal defamation and disinformation complaints against government critics since April.
"These lawsuits are a clear attempt to intimidate the opposition and prevent members of parliament from exercising free expression," said Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Rights Watch.
"Even by Cambodian standards, the state of freedom of expression and democratic rights is growing more fragile by the day," he added.
The National Assembly is expected to decide next week whether to strip parliamentary immunity from Mu Sochua, a lawmaker from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, so that a criminal defamation case against her can proceed.
The charges stem from a now dismissed lawsuit she filed against Hun Sen for allegedly making derogatory comments about her.
The UN's human rights office in Cambodia also issued a briefing Monday warning the spate of lawsuits against critics could nurture "fear, frustration and anger, with the risk of leading to further conflict and violence".
New York-based Human Rights Watch called on Premier Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party to stop "its threats, harassment and spurious legal action against members of parliament and lawyers defending free expression".
Cambodian authorities have lodged at least eight criminal defamation and disinformation complaints against government critics since April.
"These lawsuits are a clear attempt to intimidate the opposition and prevent members of parliament from exercising free expression," said Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Rights Watch.
"Even by Cambodian standards, the state of freedom of expression and democratic rights is growing more fragile by the day," he added.
The National Assembly is expected to decide next week whether to strip parliamentary immunity from Mu Sochua, a lawmaker from the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, so that a criminal defamation case against her can proceed.
The charges stem from a now dismissed lawsuit she filed against Hun Sen for allegedly making derogatory comments about her.
The UN's human rights office in Cambodia also issued a briefing Monday warning the spate of lawsuits against critics could nurture "fear, frustration and anger, with the risk of leading to further conflict and violence".
19 comments:
Poor Hun Sen was trying to defame himself and his government. His time is coming to end soon.
The freedom of speech is not the double-edged sword of free speech as one might have thought -- particularly when one is negatively and severely opposes the government. However, it is not free speech for those who are trashing their government, and therefore the these people must exercise their freedom of speech responsibily. By the same token, the freedom of speech in the United States works the same way. In other words, if you're trashing the U.S. government, you'll become the lone wolf -- one who is anti-government -- and consequently you'll be put on the FBI file.
PPU
3:44 PM
Nope! You're wrong!
You go FIRST!
My PM has many unfinished business to take of, so he'll be around--perhaps 'til 100 years old.
Pi Anh: PPU
PPU YOU'RE A TRU DOG AND SON OF THE BITCH
A CHKè CHKOURT AND MI SAMPHEUNG
3:44PM
Do you know the US very well can you tell me some thing about Mr Clinton The US president and Ms Monica Lewingsky?
I think Monica made the president shaking and lost popularity.The US government did not put Monica in jail at all. Do you know how many times the court summoned Bill?
Ms Mua is an opposition MP and has immunity she even has the right to criticize the government and defame the ruling party but your PM did something stupid don't you accept that? Hun Sen insulted a woman who is your mother and you are in the government and you wanted your mother to be in jail instead. Don't do that thoroni sroup na kon.
Correction
3:52PM
3:52PM, read US news or just watch american joks, Boy! Ask Manet if he know abou it or he hardly read English?
What Hun Sen's government is doing is not so wrong. People in the democracy world should leurn to respect themselves and each other and say the thrue about other in public! Especialy the head of the goeverment itself!
But first of all to do what ah Kwack Hun Xen did and to be fair and not so evil, ah Kwack Hun Xen government Should be dare to reforme the justice system of Cambodia!
The JUSTICE system must be independent and neutral! Reforme the Justice , the police and the army to give Cambodian a start for real freedome and democracy!!!!!
May lightning strike the evils!!!!!
do you all hear hun sen's speech that day that made Ms.Mua upset? I don't have any hatred against Mr. Hun Sen, but when i heard his speech that day i can't respect him anymore as my prime minister. i feel degrade as a Cambodian woman. He is like a father of Cambodia. when he gave such a speech it make me think how he would talk to his wife and his daughters at home.
my wish to all cambodian government officials to find nice words to use in public because it can be heard in the world.
It's true that defamation lawsuits have become a way of attacking your opponent whether he's in business or politics, but it's better than shooting or throwing acid.
My beloved 9:59PM!
With my stupidity of the observation in Hun SenVarman's Mighty PhD speeches, he is generally or even simply lacking self-knowledge, and he also is only rarely paying adequate attention to his masterful scholar's words, that's the ultimate reason why he desperately needs to read from the notes. Otherwise, a new Temple boy is insanely a same as an old temple boy, no matter how many PhDs he is boastfully wearing.
So don't fuck with my government motherfucker! If you want to fuck with my government don't go any where just stay in Cambodia if you are good man.You motherfucker always said cpp under Viet,but you always fuck kiss ass foriegn country to destroy khmer country so you are right motherfucker?
Ah PPU, and 5:27 Kaun Mi Sampheung Yuon!
Ah PPU, and 5:27 si ach Ah Hun Sen!
Ah Hun Sen Ah roleay hen-horch!
Ah Hun Sen, don't fuck my poor people!
Fuck Ah Hun Sen!
look at ah sen picture i can't stand it...even the dog look better than him
You just barking outside and then ran away.
6:45 AM
Fuck you!
Pi Anh: PPU (your superior)
Well, Don't blame me for I am of course the son of a slut, adulteress, fornicatress, hussy, jade, and loose woman Viet...
PPU
7:50 AM
Thanks for the info about your family tree.
Keep it coming, asshole.
Pi Anh: PPU
It doesn't matter how much AH HUN SEN want his immature way and it will ultimately fail! This is not the first time that AH HUN SEN enforce his jungle law on Cambodian people to make them shut up!
Even a baby wants to talk and who is AH HUN SEN to tell Cambodian people not to talk and to express their feeling?
The good old day of Cambodian politic dictate that if Cambodian people are on your side and you will win even if you don't have a weapon or food to eat! Now it seems that AH HUN SEN chose not to be on the side of Cambodian people!
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