(Photo: RFA)01 June 2009
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer
The Cambodian government sued the “Khmer Machas Srok” newspaper with another complain: defamation. The newspaper was sued once already for publication of alleged false information accusing a number of high-ranking officials surrounding Sok An, Cambodia’s [very powerful] vice-PM and minister of the Council of ministers, of being involved in corruption.
Suong Chan Thorn, the government lawyer who represents the plaintiffs, told RFA that the additional complain was brought up when he went to clarify the court recently.
Suong Chan Thorn said: “We still preserve the stance of our lawsuit that we brought up, they are defamation and publication of false information, and we demand compensation according to the law.”
He indicated that publication of false information is a criminal lawsuit, whereas the defamation case is a civil lawsuit. He is asking for 10 million riels ($2,500) in compensation.
Regarding the additional complain, Hang Chakra, the editor of the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper, reacted by saying that these lawsuits were brought to discourage him and to silence critics and those who express their opinion.
Hang Chakra plans to go to the Phnom Penh municipal court to clarify this case on 03 June as summoned: “We saw that lawyer Suong Chan Thorn highlighted words [published] in my newspaper, and he used these to sue me. I consider this as an act of political intimidation, this is not a normal case.”
The lawsuits were brought up after Khmer Machas Srok published a number of articles in April and May under the title: “Hun Sen breaks up the nest of bad and corrupt government officials around Sok An”, and also under the title of: “Several Pro-Sok An government officials face removal from their position.”
Pen Samithik, president of the Club of Cambodian Journalists, said: “This means that the [government] could sue or it could ask the news media to make a correction.”
Chan Sovet, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights group, commented: “I think that the additional lawsuit constitutes a threat on journalists.”
It is noted that the lawsuits against the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper are brought up at the same time that SRP MP Mu Sochua is subjected to another lawsuit from Hun Sen for defamation as well. Mrs. Mu Sochua will go to court on 03 June to provide clarifications in her case.
Furthermore, SRP MP Ho Vann is also sued for defamation by 22 high-ranking army officers in Hun Sen’s regime. He will go to court to clarify his case on 05 June.
Human rights activists and organization observe that these successive lawsuits against the opposition are a mechanism set up by Hun Sen’s regime to use the court to silence its critics.
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer
The Cambodian government sued the “Khmer Machas Srok” newspaper with another complain: defamation. The newspaper was sued once already for publication of alleged false information accusing a number of high-ranking officials surrounding Sok An, Cambodia’s [very powerful] vice-PM and minister of the Council of ministers, of being involved in corruption.
Suong Chan Thorn, the government lawyer who represents the plaintiffs, told RFA that the additional complain was brought up when he went to clarify the court recently.
Suong Chan Thorn said: “We still preserve the stance of our lawsuit that we brought up, they are defamation and publication of false information, and we demand compensation according to the law.”
He indicated that publication of false information is a criminal lawsuit, whereas the defamation case is a civil lawsuit. He is asking for 10 million riels ($2,500) in compensation.
Regarding the additional complain, Hang Chakra, the editor of the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper, reacted by saying that these lawsuits were brought to discourage him and to silence critics and those who express their opinion.
Hang Chakra plans to go to the Phnom Penh municipal court to clarify this case on 03 June as summoned: “We saw that lawyer Suong Chan Thorn highlighted words [published] in my newspaper, and he used these to sue me. I consider this as an act of political intimidation, this is not a normal case.”
The lawsuits were brought up after Khmer Machas Srok published a number of articles in April and May under the title: “Hun Sen breaks up the nest of bad and corrupt government officials around Sok An”, and also under the title of: “Several Pro-Sok An government officials face removal from their position.”
Pen Samithik, president of the Club of Cambodian Journalists, said: “This means that the [government] could sue or it could ask the news media to make a correction.”
Chan Sovet, an investigator for the Adhoc human rights group, commented: “I think that the additional lawsuit constitutes a threat on journalists.”
It is noted that the lawsuits against the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper are brought up at the same time that SRP MP Mu Sochua is subjected to another lawsuit from Hun Sen for defamation as well. Mrs. Mu Sochua will go to court on 03 June to provide clarifications in her case.
Furthermore, SRP MP Ho Vann is also sued for defamation by 22 high-ranking army officers in Hun Sen’s regime. He will go to court to clarify his case on 05 June.
Human rights activists and organization observe that these successive lawsuits against the opposition are a mechanism set up by Hun Sen’s regime to use the court to silence its critics.
14 comments:
What compensation?
If we allow this to go through, everyone would be an instant millionaire.
PPU
When Global Withness said Cambodia ( COUNTRY FOR SALE ) and showed all those corrupted Government Officials included Hun Sen , why didn't Hun Sen and his lawyers take global withness to court for defamation ? Why is he only strong against his own people ?
Khmer court system is a terrible failure. An International court/or a private one need to be established and installed in cambodia for fair and true justice.
Ah PPU , come here .. come suck my dick , i just finish fucking your wife ...
Pi anh Sahay Mea Eanh
Hun Sen never alow people to speach up at all. The true reveal about evil power that why Hun's body do the best to hurting who bring up the true in the bublic.
Shame on Khmer's who try support Leader corruption. All our people around the world should stand up together to protect the people and Nation before to late.
Freedom historically aien't come easy from tyrannical rule, therefore people must be desperately continued fighting till the end!
That's good to see the court is proceedings in that manner. The rule of law in our country cambodia is more efctive than the foreign country. Put all bad mouths in jail especially KMS krom ah Hin Sithan and mee Chak Sakhon,
mee Chak sakhom come from France to USA to collect your$$$$ this month. Is anyone out there wanna gift to her? contact: MN, WA and MA Representatives.
put all the bad mouth in jail? Son what century are you living in? You still stuck in some dark-age of imperial rule?
Who went into your head and turn your break backward? tsk tsk. I'm just dumbfounded by your pure stupidity and lack of modernity.
Cambodia should do away with this ridiculous defamation lawsuit, which serves no purpose for anything.
12:57AM country should have laws! But the justice system should be free and close to just as posible!
Dare ah Kwack to reforme the justice system of Cambodia!
7:47 PM
With your assumed leadership, what can you do for my country?
My PM has done and accomplished plenty for the Cambodian people and Cambodia. And, what have you done to my country lately, with the exception of whinning?
Pi Anh: PPU
6.34
You sound very upset, right? Well, don't be, and I'm not pinning any blame on you. In fact, it's part of being a human garbage (of course, from your species). Yes, I'm quite honor to deal with human garbage like yourself.
Pi Anh: PPU
PPU,
Fly loves shit or garbage, but bee loves flower. You are one of the shit/garbage.
1:41 PM
Sometimes I have to convince myself not to deal with rubbish like yourself, Ah 1:41 PM.
Are you one of those Ah Khmer-Yuons who are fighting something without a "cause"?
It's a great feeling to have seen you feeling upset. That's great! It really makes MY DAY.
Pi Anh: PPU
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