Hang Chakra (Photo: Zakariya, RFA)27 June 2009
By Zakariya
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer
Hang Chakra, the editor-in-chief of The Khmer Machas Srok newspaper who was sentenced for publishing false information and defamation on a Cambodian minister [Sok An], was arrested by the police and sent to the Prey Sar jail, near Phnom Penh.
Am Sam Ath, director of investigation for the Licadho human rights group, indicated that Hang Chakra was sent to Prey Sar jail by the cops at 4PM on 26 June, after he was arrested by cops in Battambang, at a rented house in Chamcar Samrong commune, Battambang city.
Chuong Chou-ngy, Hang Chakra’s lawyer, said that the sentence handed down by the Phnom Penh municipal court is very unfair for his client because the decision was made in absentia, and neither he nor his client were present during the court decision. Only the judge, the prosecutors and the government lawyer who brought the lawsuit against Hang Chakra were present.
Chuon Chou-ngy said: “Therefore, when they held the hearing, they speed up [the process] to hand out the sentence. Even without the presence of my client [Hang Chankra] and my request to delay the case, they didn’t agree to it.”
On the legal process used by the Phnom Penh municipal court to sentence Hang Chakra to one year in jail and fined him 9 million riels ($2,25), Am Sam Ath said: “We can see that it can seriously affect the rights of journalists to express their opinion.”
Am Sam Ath added that this is an intimidation on journalists and a restriction on the freedom rights of journalists. The court action was taken to set an example to all other newspapers that are still undecided about whether to express their opinions or not.
Am Sam Ath said: “Therefore, the Appeal court must think about Mr. Hang Chakra’s case. The information law should be considered first before the criminal code is used.”
Judge of the Phnom Penh municipal court and justice ministry officials could not be reached to explain about the legality of this court decision and sentence.
On 26 June, Hang Chakra was sentenced following a lawsuit brought up by the government lawyer. He was accused of publishing false information and defamation after his newspaper reported a number of articles in April and May. These articles accused a number of government officials around deputy-PM Sok An of corruption.
An alliance of Civil Society organizations and the Cambodian Club of Journalists issued two separate statements to express their concerns on the press freedom in Cambodia, they were also disappointed that the court did not use the newly-adopted information law in this case.
