Showing posts with label Deterioration of freedom of expression. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Deterioration of freedom of expression. Show all posts
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Monday, December 12, 2011
Groups push government on rights
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| UN Special Rapporteur Surya Subedi addresses the crowd on Saturday during a gathering in Phnom Penh, which marked International Human Rights Day. (Photo by: Heng Chivoan) |
Monday, 12 December 2011
Meas Sokchea and Bridget Di Certo
The Phnom Penh Post
Marking international Human Rights Day, 22 civil society organisations joined forces on Saturday to call on the government to live up to Cambodia’s international commitments.
The event, attended by more than 300 people at Phnom Penh’s Freedom Park, carried the theme that “Independent judiciary and freedom of expression are foundations for social justice and respect for human rights”.
“The government institutions of this nation need to take action to stop the increasing restriction of freedom of expression and civil society participation,” a joint statement released by the 22 organisations said.
The event was attended by UN Special Rapporteur Surya Subedi, who has been in the country to gauge the state of human rights, US Embassy Charge d’affairs Jeff Daigle and King Sihamoni’s spokesman, Prince Norodom Chakkrapong, who is Prince Norodom Ranariddh’s brother.
លោកស៊ូរិយ៉ា ស៊ូបេឌី៖ “ខ្ញុំនៅព្រួយបារម្ភអំពីសិទ្ធិសេរីភាពបញ្ចេញមតិនៅកម្ពុជា” - "I'm concerned about freedom of expression in Cambodia": Surya Subedi
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| លោកសាស្ត្រាចារ្យ ស៊ូរិយ៉ា ប្រាសាទ ស៊ូបេឌី អ្នករាយការណ៍ពិសេសអង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិស្តីពីបញ្ហាសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស នៅកម្ពុជា (លាងដឺលុច) - Surya Subedi, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia (Photo: Leang Delux) |
អាទិត្យ 11 ធ្នូ 2011
ដោយ លាង ដឺលុច
RFI
អ្នករាយការណ៍ពិសេសអង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិស្តីពីបញ្ហាសិទ្ធិមនុស្សនៅកម្ពុជា លោកសាស្ត្រាចារ្យ ស៊ូរិយ៉ា ប្រាសាទ ស៊ូបេឌី បានបញ្ចប់បេសកកម្មលើកទី៦របស់លោកនៅកម្ពុជានៅថ្ងៃអាទិត្យទី១១ធ្នូនេះ។ មុនចាកចេញពីកម្ពុជា អ្នករាយការណ៍ពិសេសបានផ្តល់បទសម្ភាសន៍អោយវិទ្យុបារាំងអន្តរជាតិស្តីអំពីទស្សនៈរបស់លោកលើការបោះឆ្នោតនៅកម្ពុជា។ ការបោះឆ្នោតដែលជាប្រធានបទនៃដំណើរទស្សនកិច្ចរបស់លោកលើកនេះ។ ស្របពេលជាមួយគ្នានេះផងដែរ តំណាងអង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិបានអត្ថាធិប្បាយព្រួយបារម្ភចំពោះសិទ្ធិសេរីភាពបញ្ចេញមតិនៅកម្ពុជាដែលមិនទាន់រីកចម្រើនបានគ្រប់គ្រាន់នៅឡើយ ក្នុងខណៈដែលមានការវិវឌ្ឍន៍ល្អគួរអោយលើកទឹកចិត្តនៅក្នុងវិស័យមួយចំនួន។
តើអ្វីខ្លះជាការអត្ថាធិប្បាយរបស់លោកស៊ូរិយ៉ា ស៊ូបេឌី?
Surya Subedi, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Cambodia completed his 6th mission this Sunday 11 December. Befroe departing from the Cambodia, he gave an interview to RFI on his view on the election in Cambodia – the topic of his current visit. At the same time, he commented about his concerns on freedom of expression in Cambodia which is still lacking even though a number of other factors are evolving well. Please listen to Prof Subedi comments below:
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Hip-Hop Artist praCh Ly Joins ‘Freedom-to-Write’ Festival
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| Photo: Courtesy of Prach Ly |
Washington, DC Wednesday, 16 March 2011
"The truth needs to come out and journalists need to do their part, writers need to do their part, artists and musicians need to do their part."
[Editor’s note: Cambodian hip-hop star Prach Ly has joined writers and playwrights at Brown University, in the US city of Providence, Rhode Island, for a three-day festival to celebrate the literature and culture of Cambodia, as well as free speech. “Khmer Voices Rising,” which is sponsored by the university, will include discussions and readings with writers from Cambodia, Vietnam and the US, among other events. Prach Ly spoke with VOA Khmer by phone from Providence on Tuesday.]
What do you think about the International Freedom-to-Write Festival?
They’ve invited journalists and writers from all around the world. And it is important because the freedom of expression, the freedom of speech, is lacking in Cambodia and also third world countries. But this year they are concentrating on Cambodia. One of the honorees or fellows they’ll honor this year is Tararith Kho.
Anywhere in the world, especially in Cambodia, writers and journalists need to express themselves, need the right to truth, and the truth needs to be told. If the people can’t speak out, if you can’t say a certain thing, then there’s no freedom, no sense of freedom. The truth needs to come out and journalists need to do their part, writers need to do their part, artists and musicians need to do their part. So freedom of expression is very important.
Friday, October 09, 2009
Draft Penal Code Risks Freedoms: Group
By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
08 October 2009
Original report from Phnom Penh
08 October 2009
A coalition of 30 civic organizations warned on Thursday that National Assembly debate over a new penal code appeared to erode civil liberties while skimming over clarity on criminality.
The National Assembly has approved more than 400 of 672 articles in the new law, as more debate remains ahead.
Groups have warned the draft law is damaging to freedoms of expression and assembly, at a time when the executive branch of government has been slammed for its own attacks on dissent, with opposition parliamentarians and journalists shouldering punitive lawsuits from senior government officials.
The penal code, drafted with the help of the French government, seeks to update a combination of 1995 laws, tradition, the constitution and principles of international law.
The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee said it was concerned that public officials “will be able to use some articles in the penal code to shut the rights and freedoms of demonstration and assembly.”
The group has sent recommendations to the National Assembly voicing these and other concerns.
Yim Sovann, a lawmaker for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, called the recommendations “very positive.”
“The penal code has some good points, but some points are obstacles to rights and freedoms of expression,” he said.
Under the draft law, he said, “if someone makes an improper expression, someone will be guilty of defamation, insult, incitement, or falsifying information.”
“More seriously, if someone dares to make a lawsuit against any corrupt man, and if that man cannot find evidence, and the court understands that the complaint is not true, that man will face punishment,” he said.
However, Cheam Yiep, a lawmaker for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, said the draft code “respects the rights and freedom of expression and the principles of UN fundamental human rights.”
Last week, the National Assembly voted against amendments to the new code that opposition proponents said would increase freedom of expression and improve justice and democracy.
The National Assembly has approved more than 400 of 672 articles in the new law, as more debate remains ahead.
Groups have warned the draft law is damaging to freedoms of expression and assembly, at a time when the executive branch of government has been slammed for its own attacks on dissent, with opposition parliamentarians and journalists shouldering punitive lawsuits from senior government officials.
The penal code, drafted with the help of the French government, seeks to update a combination of 1995 laws, tradition, the constitution and principles of international law.
The Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee said it was concerned that public officials “will be able to use some articles in the penal code to shut the rights and freedoms of demonstration and assembly.”
The group has sent recommendations to the National Assembly voicing these and other concerns.
Yim Sovann, a lawmaker for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, called the recommendations “very positive.”
“The penal code has some good points, but some points are obstacles to rights and freedoms of expression,” he said.
Under the draft law, he said, “if someone makes an improper expression, someone will be guilty of defamation, insult, incitement, or falsifying information.”
“More seriously, if someone dares to make a lawsuit against any corrupt man, and if that man cannot find evidence, and the court understands that the complaint is not true, that man will face punishment,” he said.
However, Cheam Yiep, a lawmaker for the ruling Cambodian People’s Party, said the draft code “respects the rights and freedom of expression and the principles of UN fundamental human rights.”
Last week, the National Assembly voted against amendments to the new code that opposition proponents said would increase freedom of expression and improve justice and democracy.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Freedom of Expression in Cambodia is deteriorating: Civil Society
CCHR – CLEC – IDEA – KKKHRA – LICADHO
Joint Media Statement
For Immediate Release
Phnom Penh, June 11, 2009
Joint Media Statement
For Immediate Release
Phnom Penh, June 11, 2009
Freedom of Expression in Cambodia is deteriorating
We, the undersigned organizations, are strongly concerned about the perilous state of freedom of expression in Cambodia. Since the end of April 2009, Cambodian government officials have filed complaints of defamation, disinformation or incitement against several Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) lawmakers as well as a lawyer, a journalist and an NGO president. In addition, Phnom Penh authorities have taken harsh action to suppress freedom of expression by residents of Boeung Kak lake. Such events have serious negative impacts on the freedom of expression in Cambodia.
On June 08, 2009, the Phnom Penh Municipality reportedly sent armed forces to close the Lazy Fish guesthouse in the Boeung Kak area after its owner agreed to rent the premises to the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) for a public forum on ‘Human Rights and Development’ on June 12, 2009. The intimidation culminating in the temporary closure of this guesthouse caused CCHR to decide to suspend its forum.
On Thursday June 4, 2009, Soung Sophorn, a law student, SRP activist and a resident of Boeung Kak, was arrested after he had painted ‘Absolutely fighting against communist policy,’ and ‘People Suffer due to Cheap Government and Company’ on the walls of home. Detained in police custody for two days, he was then taken to Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Saturday. Despite this being a non-working day for the court, he was hurriedly placed on trial, convicted of defamation and sentenced to pay 5 million riels compensation to the government.
These actions of the Phnom Penh Muncipality, police and court in the above two cases were clearly unjustified and aimed at suppressing the freedom of Boeung Kak residents to discuss and express opinions about the pending loss of their homes due to the government giving a private company a 99-year lease to the lake area.
In addition, recent months have seen a total of four defamation, disinformation or incitement complaints filed against three SRP lawmakers, Mu Sochua, Ho Vann and Sam Rainsy, by the government or individual high-ranking officials. Similar complaints were also filed against Mu Sochua’s lawyer, Kong Sam Onn, and Khmer Machas Srok newspaper director Hang Chakra.
Several other lawsuits have also been filed. A disinformation suit was lodged by a government lawyer against Mr. Moeung Sonn, the president of Khmer Civilisation Foundation, for comments he made about lights being installed at Angkor Wat. Mr. Moeung Sonn subsequently fled to France; his departure is understandable in the context of past cases of disinformation in which a non-independent judiciary decided the fate of defendants. It is also worth noting that Mr. Moeung Sonn himself had sued Mr. Soy Sopheap, the commentator of Cambodian Television Network (CTN), for defamation and disinformation as well.
The pattern of complaints of defamation, disinformation and incitement filed by high-ranking officials, and the intimidation of residents at Boeung Kak lake, poses a serious threat to the right to freedom of expression in Cambodia. In particular, Article 62 (Disinformation) and Article 63 (Defamation and Libel) of the UNTAC criminal code continue to be used to silence the voices of Cambodian people and to prevent public participation.
Given this concern and threat to human rights and freedom of expression in Cambodia, we urge the Cambodian government to:
-Virak Ou, President,
Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), (855) 12 404051
-Virak Yeng, Executive Director,
Community Legal Education Center (CLEC), (855) 12 801235
-Pao Vorn, President,
Independent Democracy of Informal Economic Association (IDEA), (855) 12 534796
-Chanrith Ang, Executive Director,
Khmer Kampuchea Krom Human Rights Association (KKKHRA), (855)12 934802
-Naly Pilorge, Executive Director,
Cambodian League for the Protection and Defence of Human Rights (LICADHO), (855)12 803650
On June 08, 2009, the Phnom Penh Municipality reportedly sent armed forces to close the Lazy Fish guesthouse in the Boeung Kak area after its owner agreed to rent the premises to the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) for a public forum on ‘Human Rights and Development’ on June 12, 2009. The intimidation culminating in the temporary closure of this guesthouse caused CCHR to decide to suspend its forum.
On Thursday June 4, 2009, Soung Sophorn, a law student, SRP activist and a resident of Boeung Kak, was arrested after he had painted ‘Absolutely fighting against communist policy,’ and ‘People Suffer due to Cheap Government and Company’ on the walls of home. Detained in police custody for two days, he was then taken to Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Saturday. Despite this being a non-working day for the court, he was hurriedly placed on trial, convicted of defamation and sentenced to pay 5 million riels compensation to the government.
These actions of the Phnom Penh Muncipality, police and court in the above two cases were clearly unjustified and aimed at suppressing the freedom of Boeung Kak residents to discuss and express opinions about the pending loss of their homes due to the government giving a private company a 99-year lease to the lake area.
In addition, recent months have seen a total of four defamation, disinformation or incitement complaints filed against three SRP lawmakers, Mu Sochua, Ho Vann and Sam Rainsy, by the government or individual high-ranking officials. Similar complaints were also filed against Mu Sochua’s lawyer, Kong Sam Onn, and Khmer Machas Srok newspaper director Hang Chakra.
Several other lawsuits have also been filed. A disinformation suit was lodged by a government lawyer against Mr. Moeung Sonn, the president of Khmer Civilisation Foundation, for comments he made about lights being installed at Angkor Wat. Mr. Moeung Sonn subsequently fled to France; his departure is understandable in the context of past cases of disinformation in which a non-independent judiciary decided the fate of defendants. It is also worth noting that Mr. Moeung Sonn himself had sued Mr. Soy Sopheap, the commentator of Cambodian Television Network (CTN), for defamation and disinformation as well.
The pattern of complaints of defamation, disinformation and incitement filed by high-ranking officials, and the intimidation of residents at Boeung Kak lake, poses a serious threat to the right to freedom of expression in Cambodia. In particular, Article 62 (Disinformation) and Article 63 (Defamation and Libel) of the UNTAC criminal code continue to be used to silence the voices of Cambodian people and to prevent public participation.
Given this concern and threat to human rights and freedom of expression in Cambodia, we urge the Cambodian government to:
- Reconsider its lawsuits over defamation and disinformation, in the interests of ensuring that all Cambodian people have the opportunity to express their points of view and to freely participate in debate about government policies and practices.
- Respect the principles of freedom of expression as stated in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international covenants, to which Cambodia is a party, and also in the Cambodian constitutional law.
- Encourage high-ranking and elected officials to build stronger democratic institutions which guarantee a greater separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches.
- Protect the constitutional rights of the Cambodian people and ensure the independence of the judiciary so that it respects the rights of all parties involved in litigation cases
-Virak Ou, President,
Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), (855) 12 404051
-Virak Yeng, Executive Director,
Community Legal Education Center (CLEC), (855) 12 801235
-Pao Vorn, President,
Independent Democracy of Informal Economic Association (IDEA), (855) 12 534796
-Chanrith Ang, Executive Director,
Khmer Kampuchea Krom Human Rights Association (KKKHRA), (855)12 934802
-Naly Pilorge, Executive Director,
Cambodian League for the Protection and Defence of Human Rights (LICADHO), (855)12 803650
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