Hang Chakra (Photo: Zakariya, RFA)Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA)
The editor-in-chief of the "The Khmer Machas Srok" newspaper, who had been fined and sentenced to a year's imprisonment, was arrested on the same day by the police and sent to the Prey Sar prison, near Phnom Penh, Cambodia, media reports said.
Hang Chakra was arrested at a rented house in Chamcar Samrong commune in Battambang City and was immediately sent to jail, Radio Free Asia quoted Am Sam Ath, director of investigation for the Licadho human rights group, as saying.
Hang Chakra’s lawyer, Chuong Chou-ngy, 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.
Radio Free Asia quoted Chuon Chou-ngy: "[The court] hastened [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."
"The Phnom Penh Post" last week said Hang Chakra was meted out a one-year jail term and fined him 9 million riels ($2,250) on charges of publishing false information and defamation on Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister, Sok An. The charges were based on the UNTAC criminal code rather than the more recent Press Law. Cambodian journalists groups said the former carries harsher penalties, including imprisonment.
Am Sam Ath said: "We can see that [this case] can seriously affect the rights of journalists to express their opinion."
He added that, "The Appeal court must think about Mr. Hang Chakra’s case. The information law should be considered first before the criminal code is used."
The Phnom Penh municipal court and justice ministry officials could not be reached to explain about the legality of this court decision and sentence, Radio Free Asia said.
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The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (http://www.seapa.org) is a coalition of press freedom advocacy groups from Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. Established in November 1998, it is the only regional network with the specific mandate of promoting and protecting press freedom throughout Southeast Asia. SEAPA is composed of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (Indonesia), the Jakarta-based Institute for the Study of the Free Flow of Information (ISAI), the Manila-based Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, and the Thai Journalists Association. SEAPA also has partners in Malaysia, Cambodia, East Timor, and exiled Burmese media, and undertakes projects and programs for press freedom throughout the region.
For inquiries, please contact us at: seapa@seapa.org, or call +662 243 5579.
Hang Chakra was arrested at a rented house in Chamcar Samrong commune in Battambang City and was immediately sent to jail, Radio Free Asia quoted Am Sam Ath, director of investigation for the Licadho human rights group, as saying.
Hang Chakra’s lawyer, Chuong Chou-ngy, 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.
Radio Free Asia quoted Chuon Chou-ngy: "[The court] hastened [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."
"The Phnom Penh Post" last week said Hang Chakra was meted out a one-year jail term and fined him 9 million riels ($2,250) on charges of publishing false information and defamation on Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister, Sok An. The charges were based on the UNTAC criminal code rather than the more recent Press Law. Cambodian journalists groups said the former carries harsher penalties, including imprisonment.
Am Sam Ath said: "We can see that [this case] can seriously affect the rights of journalists to express their opinion."
He added that, "The Appeal court must think about Mr. Hang Chakra’s case. The information law should be considered first before the criminal code is used."
The Phnom Penh municipal court and justice ministry officials could not be reached to explain about the legality of this court decision and sentence, Radio Free Asia said.
----------
The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (http://www.seapa.org) is a coalition of press freedom advocacy groups from Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. Established in November 1998, it is the only regional network with the specific mandate of promoting and protecting press freedom throughout Southeast Asia. SEAPA is composed of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (Indonesia), the Jakarta-based Institute for the Study of the Free Flow of Information (ISAI), the Manila-based Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, and the Thai Journalists Association. SEAPA also has partners in Malaysia, Cambodia, East Timor, and exiled Burmese media, and undertakes projects and programs for press freedom throughout the region.
For inquiries, please contact us at: seapa@seapa.org, or call +662 243 5579.
12 comments:
sach min ban si yok chha-eng tov pjong kor..
Freedom cambodia is on Hun Sen doctoral degree.
Nazi-prison camp for freedom of speak,lawsuit and persue of corruption of its goverment.
Long life Hun Sen Nazi
We shall call Samdeck Daijo Nazi Hun Sen
He just a Jounalist, so what people they have their own right to speach up, Hun Sen should think this is will hurt his political.
Sok An, you not a shame to yourself, lock up "The Khmer Machas Srok" for what, thi is unfair for your government Justic, if you are a real man than stand up be a better person.
I would like to encourage all the Khmer people around the world steep up to protect our Right and to protect the Journalist, all of those people is do the best to serve the country, if we don't have their voice, then we never know what going, and what happening to our Nation.
Please one agains stand up for our Right.
Khmer Woman in Blood.
Shameful Sok An, you defeat yourown people but not try to defeat Youn government and Thai.
That not how the Leader run the country.
How many more Khmer Jounalist need to be punish like Mr. Machas Srok.
Khmer government should change their system and learn from other and be kind to their people.
They also need to learn open mind let their own people have a Freedom of Speach, Freedom of Right that how Democracy. Not use the communist Regime to run the country.
A good job for Cambodia justice.
PHNOM PENH COURT SHOULD BE ABOLISHED. BECAUSE THOSE JUDGES DON'T KNOW THE RULE OF LAWS. I BET THOSE JUDGES PAID AT LEAST $30,000.00 TO WORK AS A JUDGE.
Audi Alteram Partem
11:54PM ! you want to live in lawless country?
In Cambodia we have a good goverment which controle every thing!
This son-of-bitch should be in jail.
PPU
11:54 PM
Rest assured, justice will be impartially served. I always have faith in our judicial system.
Pi Anh: PPU
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