Published on 19 February 2010Source: Reporters Without Borders
As a judge acquitted Sok Serey, a reporter for Radio Free Asia’s Khmer-language service, on charges of disinformation and defamation, Reporters Without Borders today released a report on media freedom in Cambodia.
A Reporters Without Borders representative stressed the importance of decriminalising press offences to the information minister during a visit to Cambodia last December, when he met with government officials, journalists and civil society leaders.
Four years after Prime Minister Hun Sen promised that Cambodian journalists would not be jailed for what they write, several journalists are in prison or are facing criminal charges in connection with their work. Reporters Without Borders visited newspaper editor Hang Chakra in the prison where he is serving a one-year jail term for a story about senior government officials.
Entitled “Prime Minister, you promised that no more journalists would go to prison,” the press freedom organisation’s report is based on the findings of last December’s visit. It deplores the lack of diversity in the broadcast media and the fact that government officials are bringing more and more legal actions against the press.
The report also tries to answer two main questions: why did Hun Sen break his word and what impact will the imminent introduction of a new criminal code have on media legislation?
The reform of the criminal code was passed by the national assembly and the senate in October 2009 without the parliamentary opposition having any real say in the process. “Its deep-seated changes to the legal system will necessarily have repercussions for free expression and media freedom,” the report says, adding that “the lack of transparency surrounding the final draft is worrying the press and human rights activists.”
The report also looks at the past murders of journalists that are still unpunished, the problems resulting from fact that most journalists are very badly paid, the problem of corruption and the fate of Ros Sokhet, another journalist who is in prison.
In its recommendations, Reporters Without Borders urges the Cambodian government to reinforce the editorial freedom of the state media and to create an independent media regulatory body with responsibility for allocating licences to radio and TV stations.
Finally, Reporters Without Borders is also releasing two videos it made in Cambodia, one about Hang Chakra’s detention (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XubcHsLM8Ms&feature=channel) and one about radio station director Mam Sonando (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooYM0j25cUA&feature=channel).
A Reporters Without Borders representative stressed the importance of decriminalising press offences to the information minister during a visit to Cambodia last December, when he met with government officials, journalists and civil society leaders.
Four years after Prime Minister Hun Sen promised that Cambodian journalists would not be jailed for what they write, several journalists are in prison or are facing criminal charges in connection with their work. Reporters Without Borders visited newspaper editor Hang Chakra in the prison where he is serving a one-year jail term for a story about senior government officials.
Entitled “Prime Minister, you promised that no more journalists would go to prison,” the press freedom organisation’s report is based on the findings of last December’s visit. It deplores the lack of diversity in the broadcast media and the fact that government officials are bringing more and more legal actions against the press.
The report also tries to answer two main questions: why did Hun Sen break his word and what impact will the imminent introduction of a new criminal code have on media legislation?
The reform of the criminal code was passed by the national assembly and the senate in October 2009 without the parliamentary opposition having any real say in the process. “Its deep-seated changes to the legal system will necessarily have repercussions for free expression and media freedom,” the report says, adding that “the lack of transparency surrounding the final draft is worrying the press and human rights activists.”
The report also looks at the past murders of journalists that are still unpunished, the problems resulting from fact that most journalists are very badly paid, the problem of corruption and the fate of Ros Sokhet, another journalist who is in prison.
In its recommendations, Reporters Without Borders urges the Cambodian government to reinforce the editorial freedom of the state media and to create an independent media regulatory body with responsibility for allocating licences to radio and TV stations.
Finally, Reporters Without Borders is also releasing two videos it made in Cambodia, one about Hang Chakra’s detention (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XubcHsLM8Ms&feature=channel) and one about radio station director Mam Sonando (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooYM0j25cUA&feature=channel).
36 comments:
It's about time to see all Cambodian to remove Hun Sen's regime from power. Rise up Cambodian inside, join Sam Rainsy party or other party so you can moving Cambodia in the right direction. If million of Cambodian stand up thru out the country you all will see change in Cambodia and Cambodian will have a better future.
don't forget to emphasize the professional code of ethics in all of this, really! question should be: how about slandering, libeling, etc...! i think respect goes both ways, really! no excuses!
We need freedom of expression and talk!
We can't live in a well like this!!
We don't need the news from Soy Sopheap. He is Hun Sen's ears!!
He is only talk about Hun Sen's good.
He is very bias!!
It sounds like the time has come to form a government in exile to counter Vietnamization of Cambodia. We will start to table the idea to see if there is enough interest/support.
Once such entity is formed, we will be able to use every human and technological resources available at our disposal to mount an effective opposition from the outside.
Stay tune...
Tong Ekareach
who says this was easy! even in journalism school, they taught future journalists to be professional. so, the difference is know what is professional and what is not, really! imagine, this little thing can make a huge impact or a huge difference. i think it's all about social interaction i.e. interaction with others. of course, there is a dos and don'ts to everything. you have to know when, where and what's appropriate at all time,reallly! it will take you a long way, you know! it's called being civilized as well, etc.
Never believes what Hun Sen said. This guy has a metal problem. One day his brain is cool down, everything is fine. But when his brain is really hot. He says a lot crazy and stupid thing.
Remember, Law in cambodia is rule by monkeys.
Never believe a coiled tail dog. Once it is coiled it never going straight.
Yes, we need to have a million match to remove Hun Sen!!
And charge him for a treason of the eastern boder deal with YUON.
If Hun Sen good and deal with all the borders of Cambodia, I bet he is a real hero disregard what he had done.
We need to seal off our border cause that is the lands left we have.
When PM of cambodia makes promises.
Be afraid!
So far, not one promises he made he can hold to his words.
What new?
He had promised to his CPP not to have random fake toll to collect from ordinary people and cut down the trees had never been work yet.
He needs to step down for another qualify to lead the country.
KHmer PP,
did cambodia have a term limit yet? why and why not?
yes, imagine a term limit would help to solve a lot of political issue we see here, really! i'm wondering have anyone ever talked about it? or debate about it? yes, why and why not? do they know or understand what it is? is is probably new to cambodia but not new to american politics, really!
Good point, no they don't have any term limit. Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha had requested the government to do so and they are not doing it yet.
It is a good idea to have term limits.
We can't deal with the same guy that lack of idea to lead the country.
We must have term limits for the Prime Minister or President.
I fully support that!
If a yuon destroy Khmer Krom pagoda we have to destroy a yuon.
To all Khmer,
Please stand up and fight for our right as the citizen of Cambodia.
Our predecessor can do it it almost a century ago and that we only have one million Khmer.
We must stand up hands in hands fight this colonization. We can't let them keep on taking our lands and our country.
Rise up!!!
debate about term limits, introduce this new american concept into cambodia. talk more about it, trust me from the sound of it, it would help to solve a lot political bickering in cambodia. perhaps will change cambodian traditional politics forever, really! i know, it probably takes time for it to become law, typical of everything takes time, i guess!
spell it out into law, really! if not have it, then if it is useless to complain, bitch or whine about anyone in power for a long time, really! think about it, seriously! don't be ashame to talk about it. i mean, someone and everyone can help to make a real difference in cambodia. perhaps, if god help cambodia to have term limits for prime minister or president, then everyone can become a potential candidate for future leadership role in cambodia. i mean anyone, me, you, he, she, it included, really! oh, also, i mean everyone has to be qualified or meet all requirements when they have one, though! encouraging to talk about it, really!
it would save a lot of headaches, too, wouldn't it?
It sounds like the time has come to form a government in exile to counter Vietnamization of Cambodia. We will start to table the idea to see if there is enough interest/support.
Once such entity is formed, we will be able to use every human and technological resources available at our disposal to mount an effective opposition from the outside.
Stay tune...
Tong Ekareach
Ohh, my Cambodian ball got hurt because I mastubate too much all day long. The doctor said because I am ethnic Cambodian, I will keep jacking off my dick until I got nut cancer. Fuck off to be Scambodian
We must make, create or build a government exile. I'm agreed with that.
I think the office of Prime minister should be dissolve. Too much power in the hands of one man is not ideal. The power should be split between the senators. All parties should be disband as well. They always seem to put their party interest first before the country.
It's about time to see all Cambodian to remove Hun Sen's regime from power. Rise up Cambodian inside, join Sam Rainsy Party or other party so you can moving Cambodia in the right direction. If million of Cambodian stand up thru out the country you all will see change in Cambodia and Cambodian will have a better future.
4:40AM!
Fuck off to your Mother.
hahahahahahahahahahahaha !
U.S.A.
Gracia seignor 6:38AM!
Say what? hun xen isn't the authority on freedom of the press. He's the wrong guy to ask about freedom of expression.
Good point to suggest about debating of mandatory term. But before we are going to do it,
- first we have to be able to stop any tyrant from running the country
- second to re-establish the proper National Assembly by clearing all thugs who have no idea about working as senators
- third we have to be sure that Cambodia's politic is free from foreign influence as well as the affluence people who use their wealth to manipulate the debate.
If we can achieve the 3 issue then the National Election Committee NEC will be the independent body to make sure that every Cambodian election will run well without bias. Finally every party to come to National Assembly should seat and debate to set a firm decision to introduce the mandatory term that is the issue long overdue to have in the Cambodian Institution.
PS: We have never had mandatory term in our constitution because the Cambodian leaders have been serving their agenda to rule for the rest of their lives and have the wife, brother or son to carry on. Therefore we have to cease this practice immediately after we have the proper House of Representative or National Assembly to implement the country 's institution.
Yeah, right! Hun't Sen'd
Yuon whore is hun sen.hunsen is Yuon whore. kampouchia is vietnam.
if they are afraid to debate about term limits, then it is probably obvious someone is trying to hold on to power like they always had in the history of cambodia. unless we change that mentality by term limits, good lucky with forcing them out of power. in turn, khmer people won't ever trust their leaders again! maybe they all thinking like that, that's why they don't want to have the term limit. then stop complain that mr. hun sen etc is holding on to power for too long, etc... the solution is how can we all help to prevent power greedy like this? term limit law, of course! wake up please!
You believe ah kwak mother fucker....?
How can anything be different for Cambodia if the very same fucking assholes are still runnning the show decade after decade?
The shitty show is getting stale and old. Same fucking stupid speeches, and the same fucking "forreign donors and investors" and "world financial" actors still keep being the co-conspirators in the charade of the old farts Khmer Rouge/Viet Minh residues.
The fucking "big powers" are just play-along fuckers as well. No change. The poor Cambodians just keep getting fucked over, and over.
(yes, I know, it is both cursing and swearing...)
This monkey prepares to run country under dictatorship, one party and one man.
Khmers should not allow this.
You should not leave this kind of society to your grand children.
You know, I really admire the first American president (George Washington). Though, American at that time was offerring him a chance to be king but he refused to accept it. Cause he wants other people to be leader or chance to govern the country.
Why can't our Cambodian leader think of the sake or the benefit of our country?
Term limit is a must!
the way i see it too is that cambodia is not really a dictator, it is only a dicattor because it lack the term limit law. people still don't understand the important of term limit in order to prevent this so called dictatorship of gov't. if they don't understand it, maybe they are never educated about its importance, i guess! it seemed like people ignorant this concept everytime someone with good view is bringing it up. they always cynical or frown on it. i wonder why? maybe they all are the same like in during the vietnam war when the USA failed to understand that all youn, north and south, are still yuon, no different! i think until khmer people wake up and understand and be educated about the concept of term limit, this problem will continue to exist against anyone's in their right mind liking it! now, are they looking for solution or something else? you have to wonder out loud, really!
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime
Members:
Pol Pot
Nuon Chea
Ieng Sary
Ta Mok
Khieu Samphan
Son Sen
Ieng Thearith
Kaing Kek Iev
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka...
Committed:
Tortures
Brutality
Executions
Massacres
Mass Murder
Genocide
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Slavery
Force Labour
Overwork to Death
Human Abuses
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime
Members:
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka...
Committed:
Attempted Murders
Attempted Murder on Chea Vichea
Attempted Assassinations
Attempted Assassination on Sam Rainsy
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Assassinated over 80 members of Sam Rainsy Party.
"But as of today, over eighty members of my party have been assassinated. Countless others have been injured, arrested, jailed, or forced to go into hiding or into exile."
Sam Rainsy LIC 31 October 2009 - Cairo, Egypt
Executions
Executed over 100 members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders
Murdered 3 Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Murdered Chea Vichea
Murdered Ros Sovannareth
Murdered Hy Vuthy
Murdered Journalists
Murdered Khim Sambo
Murdered Khim Sambo's son
Murdered members of Sam Rainsy Party.
Murdered activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Murdered Innocent Men
Murdered Innocent Women
Murdered Innocent Children
Killed Innocent Khmer Peoples.
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Brutalities
Police Brutality Against Monks
Police Brutality Against Evictees
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Abuses
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Embezzlement
Treason
Border Encroachment, allow Vietnam to encroaching into Cambodia.
Signed away our territories to Vietnam; Koh Tral, almost half of our ocean territory oil field and others.
Illegal Arrest
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and other military officials were on board.
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Removed Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country.
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Use Dead people's names to vote for Cambodian People's Party.
Disqualified potential Sam Rainsy Party's voters.
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
Abuse the Laws
Abuse the National Election Committee
Abuse the National Assembly
Violate the Laws
Violate the Constitution
Violate the Paris Accords
Impunity
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Death in custody.
Under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed crimes against journalists, political opponents, leaders of the Free Trade Union, innocent men, women and children have ever been brought to justice.
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