Press freedom heroes in Southeast Asia

Hang Chakra (Photo: Sok Serey, RFA)

Wed, Sep 14, 2011
By Shawn W. Crispin/Senior Southeast Asia Representative
CPJ Blog (Committee to Protect Journalists)
Press Freedom News and Views

(Excerpt)

Three Southeast Asian journalists--Cambodia's Hang Chakra, Malaysia's Zulkiflee Anwar Ul Haque, or Zunar, and Thailand's Chiranuch Premchaiporn--were among the 48 awardees of the Hellman/Hammett grant, given to writers targeted with political persecution, who were recognized today by Human Rights Watch for their commitment to press freedom.

Hang Chakra, editor-in-chief of the daily Khmer Machas Srok, was imprisoned for 287 days on "disinformation" charges related to a story he wrote about high-level corruption. Zunar, a cartoonist and contributor to online news site Malaysiakini, now faces sedition charges and possible imprisonment for his banned political illustrations. Chiranuch faces a possible 50 years in prison on charges related to anonymous comments critical of the Thai monarchy posted to one of her news site's Web boards.

I spoke on a panel with them today in Bangkok, where I described the repression they have faced and discussed how their individual cases are indicative of a downward trend in regional press freedom conditions. Excerpts from my address follow:

On behalf of CPJ, I would like to extend my hearty congratulations to these three recipients of the Hellman/Hammett awards, but underscore my organization's belief that none of them should have suffered from the government harassment that is implicit in being a recipient of one of these prestigious awards.

These awards speak to the lack of progress in press freedom in three of Southeast Asia's reputed democracies and point disturbingly to the closing of space that was once open for journalists to report and opine in Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

It is notable and chilling that two of today's three recipients have been persecuted for their activities or journalism that originally appeared online. CPJ research shows that the region's governments are increasingly targeting online journalists. Nearly half of the journalists jailed worldwide published their work predominantly online.

.....

In Cambodia, our view is that Hang Chakra was wrongly jailed for reporting on alleged government corruption and failing to disclose his sources. Cambodia's government purports to support a free press and points to the explicit laws in Cambodia's law books protecting press freedom--laws that authorities frequently circumvent to stifle criticism.

The reality on the ground is that Cambodia's media is dominated by newspapers sympathetic to Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party, and those that refuse to step in line--such as Hang Chakra's Khmer Machas Rok--are often targeted for harassment by his government. Along those lines, we continue to campaign on the unresolved death of Cambodian journalist Khem Sambo, who reported critically about Hun Sen's government and was murdered just weeks before the 2008 general elections.

All three of these journalists honored here today have effectively been punished for their courage to speak journalistic truth to power in their respective countries. Their courage in reporting is an inspiration to all of us who believe democracies cannot function without a free and probing press. Their repression raises uncomfortable questions about the quality of democracy in their respective homelands.

May the governments who have bid to make punitive examples of their courage in reporting take note of the international recognition and prestige they have received here today.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Key to Freedom

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

Mr. Heng Samrin agreed with Mr. Son Chhay's request to summon Mr. Sok An to explain to the parliament

The installed light bulbs suspected to be installed by digging or drilling the holes of the temple walls.

Source: Deum Ampil newspaper
Reported in Englsih by Khmerization

Mr. Heng Samrin, the chairman of the National Assembly, has on 9thh June agreed to allow opposition MP Son Chhay to summon Deputy PM Sok An, Minister in charge of the Council of Ministers who is also head of the Apsara Authority, to explain to parliament about the installations of lights on the walls of Angkor Wat and also about other works of the Apsara Authority in the Angkor Wat areas, reports Deum Ampil.

Mr. Son Chhay had sent a letter to Mr. Heng Samrin asking the parliament to summon Mr. Son An to explain to parliament after news that the Apsara Authority had ordered the installations of lights bulbs on the walls onf Angkor Wat which some said were installed by drilling the holes throught the temple walls.

Mr. Son Chhay wants Mr. Sok An to also explain about the revenues collected from the sales of tickets to visit Angkor Wat which were manged by the Sokha Groups of Companies belonging to Oknha Sok Kong. He said that revenues collected by the Sokha Groups have not been properly accounted for and that the repair works to the temple, agreed in the contract, had not been performed by the Sokha Groups.

Mr. Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said that he had not received the invitation letter from the parliament yet, but added that Mr. Sok An is happy to explain to the parliament about the issues.

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Hang Chakra

[Khmer Machas Srok] Publisher answers charges

Hang Chakra (Photo: Zakariya, RFA)

Thursday, 04 June 2009
Written by Sam Rith
The Phnom Penh Post

Accused of defamation in corruption coverage.

THE publisher of a Khmer-language newspaper told a Municipal Court prosecutor Wednesday that he stood by articles detailing high-level corruption allegations, adding that he would not identify his newspaper's sources.

"When the prosecutor asked me to show them more information, I told them that I still stood by the information published in my newspaper and told them that I could not reveal the source of the information," Hang Chakra, publisher of Khmer Machas Srok News, told the Post after the hearing.

Hang Chakra faces criminal and civil complaints in connection with three articles published in April and May that he said uncovered corruption on the part of officials working under Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.

He said Wednesday that he was considering filing a complaint against government lawyer Suong Chanthan, who filed the complaints against him.

Suong Chanthan said Wednesday that he planned to use the three articles to demonstrate that Hang Chakra is guilty of defamation and publishing false information.

Under the Press Law, publishing false information is a criminal offense for which the court can impose a fine of between 1 million riels (US$241) and 5 million riels. Defamation is a civil offense, and Suong Chanthan requested compensation totalling 10 million riels in that complaint.

Sam Rithy Doung Hak, deputy director of the Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists (CAPJ), said civil and criminal complaints against journalists posed a threat to democracy.

Opposition Editor Summoned to City Court

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
29 May 2009

Phnom Penh Municipal Court called an opposition journalist in for questioning Friday over articles he published on corruption and the cabinet minister.

Hang Chakra, director of the Khmer Mchas Srok newspaper, ran two stories alleging that Council Minister Sok An was involved in corruption.

One article praised Prime Minister Hun Sen for “destroying” corrupt officials surrounding Sok An.

Sok An is a deputy prime minister and one of the most powerful officials in government. He oversees matters concerning the Khmer Rouge tribunal and oil exploration, among others.

Rights workers and monitors maintain that Cambodia’s media environment, while technically free, remains fettered by political influence.

Last year, the editor of opposition newspaper Moneaksekar Khmer, Dam Sith, was jailed in a suit brought by Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.

Later, a journalist for Moneaksekar Khmer, Khim Sambor, was murdered. No one has been arrested for the killing.