Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Worker jailed for printing news blog article and showing it to colleagues

Seng Kunnaka (Photo: Ly Meng Huor, RFI)
10 January 2011
Source: Reporters Without Borders

Reporters Without Borders condemns the six-month jail sentence and fine of 1 million riels (250 dollars) that a Phnom Penh court imposed on World Food Programme employee Seng Kunnaka on a charge of criminal incitement for printing an article critical of the government and showing it to workmates.

Judge Keo Vandy convicted Seng under article 495 of the new criminal code in a summary trial on 19 December for sharing an article from the popular news blog KI-Media referring to Prime Minister Hun Sen and several other senior politicians as “traitors.” KI-Media recently also posted articles criticizing Cambodia’s territorial disputes with Vietnam, a very sensitive topic. Seng’s lawyer, Chou Sokheng, said he would appeal.

This conviction reflects the harder line being taken by the government on online free expression,” Reporters Without Borders said. “While not commenting on the content of the article, we point out that Seng did not distribute it publicly, which is punishable under Cambodia law. He just printed it in order to read it with two colleagues. He should not be made to suffer because of recent friction between the World Food Programme and the Cambodian government.


Seng was tried just two days after being arrested in the Phnom Penh neighbourhood of Russei Keo, where he worked at a World Food Programme warehouse. His arrest came just days after the prime minister accused the WFP of wrongly claiming that Cambodia faced the possibility of a food shortage. WFP officials subsequently gave a public apology.

The new criminal code, which took effect on 10 December, reinforced the already existing restrictions on free expression. Article 495 is based on a vague definition of incitement as sharing or exposing the public to speech, writings, drawings or audiovisual telecommunication that could “directly result in a crime being committed” or in “serious social unrest.” Defamation and “affecting the dignity" of others is also punishable under this article.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey! man you are deserved to be in jailted. please do not against the government.

Anonymous said...

*Right now Hun sen Gov still using Communist system to Arrested khmer Peoples in the Jail under corruption khmer court rule.
*Mr Seng kunakka,Please keep quiet and you should know about HUN SEN Actc......!!!!.
-if you force me...I will force you Back.
-if you do like king chhKourth srey khmeng R RITH...you feel better soon ect.....!!!!
KHMER1970

Anonymous said...

Do ma ah Chker! Why you so stupid ah kwack Hun Xen!

Do you turn chker(dog) and a motherfucker because people call you so!

Morherfucker! daugtherfucker ah stupid Hun xen, ah monky choymaray ah beast (terichan)

Anonymous said...

HUN SEN, please stop clamping down on human rights. We are just doing what the constitution said. FREEDOM of Expression....

Anonymous said...

Open letter to UN and the world community!
It is about Hun Sen of Cambodia.
You all have ambassador or representative in Cambodia! Most of your ambassadors and representative do not understand Cambodian but you have Khmer translators in your disposal. Please using them to translate what Hun Sen had spoke in this few months!
From his speech, I am a Cambodian cannot force myself to call him PM or event Mr.
Hun Sen not only a dictator but an oppressor criminal by what he personally said in the national public media!
1) “ Whether or not you have parliamentary immunity, the father of parliamentary immunity will still arrest [you]. You can say whatever, or curse January 7, but don’t curse as a national traitor,” Hun Sen said” (SIC!)
What is that mean! The stupid or oppressor threat people of his action above national constitution laws!

2) Once, he said that he (Hun Sen) spy on other legal party of Cambodia and the one who curse him most are his spy!
Either, Hun Sen is so stupid to be count as human or the guy (Hun Sen) using Pol Pot tactic to suppress the freedom of speech for Cambodian, to make Cambodian not to trust each-others, and living in fear!
The spy 9spook) on your own citizen is a criminal act and how can we Cambodian call this low life stupid beast as PM or even Mr.!

Please help us re-apply Paris Accord and reform the Cambodian justice and arm forces!
Please help us get the stupid criminal out of our back!
There a lot more the stupid beast Hun Sen said that make us don’t know to laugh or to cry!
This less than animal is CRAZY!!!!And STUPID!

Anonymous said...

4:26AM

Government is NOT GOd by any standard.Particularly government of Cambodia as for NOT to have a ground of sound judgement.There are still a lot more to learn as Cambodia 20 to 30 years behind developed country.

Much more of technology and humanity knowledges of sound management often refused and denied by bunch of people working inRGC,subsequently this denial resulted in oppression and poverty that so many cambodians have suffered.

Please learn to be open-minded that you can surely learn a lot more about life,rather than a parrot.Old cambodian saying that you do not accept the mistake made, then you will never learn the right thing for which progresses can be made.

Take it as an advice for a better person that you will be.
And good luck with your journey in life!.

Peasant

Anonymous said...

Ah Hun Sen on the top of the laws,don't use that shit constitutions it just the masks for Cambodia to beg and get free ride.
Ah Hun Sen own Cambodia understand?
khmersott

Anonymous said...

យកពួកវាទៅដាក់គុកឲ្យអស់ទៅពួកអាប្រឆាំងពុំដែលធ្វើឲ្យប្រទេសជឿនលឿននោះទេរាប់ទាំងអាសមរង្សីផង។

Anonymous said...

ALERT..........SOME DAY AH HUN SEN WILL BE GET SHOT BY GENERAL POLICE OR GENERAL MILITARY.

Anonymous said...

មានពលរដ្ធខ្មែរជាច្រើនម៉ឺននាក់ដែលចង់មកនៅ
ស្រុកក្រៅហើយក៏ឆ្លើយប្រាប់អន្តោប្រវេស្តន៍ថា៖
របបរបស់សម្តេចហ៊ុនសែនជារបបផ្តាច់ការគឺនៅឆ្នាំ
១៩៧៩ទៅដល់ឆ្នាំ១៩៨៦នៅតាមជំរុំទល់ដែន
តាមពិតគឺពលរដ្ធខ្មែរដែលចង់មករស់នៅស្រុក
ក្រៅបានចោតប្រកាន់ទៅលើរបបសម្តេចហ៊ុនសែន
ដោយអយុទ្ថិធម៍ពិតប្រាកដ។ប៉ុន្តែម្យ៉ាងវិញទៀត
បើមិននិយាយដួច្នោះក្រុមអន្តោប្រវេសន៍គេមិនឲ្យ
ច្បាប់មករស់នៅស្រុកក្រៅនោះទេដួច្នេះម្នាក់ៗខំ
ធ្មិចភ្នែកនិយាយឲ្យតែរួចខ្លួនទៅដោយពុំដឹងឆ្លើយ
យ៉ាងដួចម្តេចនឹងឲ្យសំតាមការឆ្លើយប្រាប់ទៅ
អន្តោប្រវេសន៍។ដួច្នេះហើយបានជាខាងអង្ការសហ
ប្រជាជាតិកាន់តែដាក់ទណ្ឌកម្មសេដ្ធកិច្ចមកលើប្រទេសកម្ពុជាកាន់តែខ្លាំងឡើងៗដោយពុំបានគិតថាពល
រដ្ធខ្មែរនៅក្នុងពេលនោះទាំងពលរដ្ធនៅក្រៅស្រុកនឹងក្នុងស្រុកពិតជាពិបាកទាំងអស់គ្នាពិតប្រាកដក្រោយ
ពីរបបពលពតរលាយបាត់ស្រមោលទៅ។គួរឲ្យអយុត្តិធម៍ចំពោះប្រទេសកម្ពុជាណាស់នៅក្នុងខណនោះ។

Anonymous said...

Bun Rany Hun Sen wants khmer people to get HIV (condoms )are prohibit in Cambodia Remember?
Hun Sen build the schools but ruining the the teachers lively hoods (under pay teachers) to make khmers ppl ignorant run and get the jobs out side the countries ,making Cambodian ppl look like animal,stop believe in Hun Sen ,he just the opportunist power greed and knowing nothing a bout leading.
Hun Sen cede the land to Vietnam
Hun Sen is the treason to his country

Takeo said...

Khmer language is not listed in many smartphones apps and keyboard Khmer people in Cambodia should work a little harder to bring Khmer Unicode into the digital world we are losing our Khmer language like reading, writing, speaking, printing, and other products in Cambodia must printed in Khmer language. It very important that Khmer oversea should teach their to speak and read Khmer language. Even myself is losing Khmer dignity I am pressing my children to speak Khmer even though they are born and live oversea. All Khmer people on all age in the World must speak Khmer at home. We must respect Khmer language, people and land at all time.

Persons that are destroying and selling Khmer land are crazy and carelessness about their motherland. Just look at countries around us and learn from them.

Anonymous said...

Your govt is working for Viet, not for Khmer. Take look how many millions Viet are living in your country, 50% of Khmers just only 30 years after 1979. Very good for your land.

Anonymous said...

ក្រោយពីឆ្នាំ១៩៧៩ដែលគណបក្សប្រជាជនបានរំដោះប្រទេសកម្ពុជា
គឺពលរដ្ធកម្ពុជាពិតជាគ្មានម្ហូបអាហារថ្នាំពេទ្យសម្លៀកបំពាក់អ្វីៗគ្រប់យ៉ាងទាំងអស់ទូរទាំងប្រទេសទាំងមូលមានអ្នកជុំងឺរាប់ម៉ឺននាក់ដែលបានបន្សល់ទុកពីរបបពលពត។នៅក្នុងពេលនឹងបើមានអង្ការសហប្រជាជាតិជួយគាំទ្រនៅក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជានោះគឺគ្មាននរណាមួយចាកចេញពីប្រទេសរបស់ខ្លួននោះទេ។
ប្រជាជនកម្ពុជាមិនចង់មករស់នៅស្រុករបស់គេជៀសជៀងនៅស្រុករបស់ខ្លួននោះឡើយតែជាអកុសល់
ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាគួរឲ្យអយុត្តិធម៍ពីបណ្តារប្រទេសអ្នក
មានពិតប្រកដនៅក្នុងឆ្នាំនោះមែន។ប៉ន្តែសូមពលរដ្ធ
ខ្មែរដែលបានមករស់នៅស្រុកក្រៅកុំភ្លេចថា៖នៅពាក្យមួយគ្លារដែលអន្តោប្រវេសន៍គេសួរថា៖
បើប្រទេសកម្ពុជាបានសេចក្តីសុខតើអ្នកឯងទៅនៅ
ក្នុងប្រទេសអ្នកឯងវិញទេ?ពលរដ្ធខ្មែរដែលអន្តោប្រវេសន៍បានសួរនៅសំនួរនោះ
បានឆ្លើយប្រាប់ទៅអន្តោប្រវេសន៍វិញថា៖ពួគគាត់
នឹងវិលត្រឡប់មករស់នៅស្រុកខ្មែរវិញបើប្រទេសមាន
សុខសន្តិភាពទៅអនាគត។នេះជាពាក្យដែលពលរដ្ធ
ខ្មែរបានឆ្លើយប្រាប់ទៅក្រុមអន្តោប្រវេសន៍នៅក្នុងខណហ្នឹង។

Anonymous said...

7:00Am ah jkout you are lying to yourself?I can't believe all Hun Sen clans good at bullshit,damn you who believe with you?

Anonymous said...

បក្សពួកប្រឆាំងគ្មានពាក្យអ្វីដែលនិយាយថា៖យួន
យកដីយួននៅប្រទេសកម្ពុជានេះជាពាក្យដែលពួកគេ
និយាយរត់មាត់ជារឺយៗពុំដែលភ្លេចទាល់តែសោះ
បើប្រទេសមួយៗគេគិតដួចពួកប្រឆាំងដែលចេះតែ
និយាយនោះអាមេរិកាំងគេនឹងបញ្ជូនពលរដ្ធខ្មែរមក
នៅស្រុកវិញអស់ហើយ។

Anonymous said...

7:08 The American just registered your boss Vietnam in the black list TODAY (not respecting and no human right in Vietnam)so who going to defend your idiots when China very strong on the arm force and people try to take over Youn ,Khmer and laos?

Anonymous said...

ពួកអាអាចម៍ ដៀលគេកុម្មុយនីស។ នៅអាមេរិកបើហ្អែងជេរអាអូបាម៉ាក្បត់ជាតិអញ្ចឹង វាចាប់ហ្អែងញាត់គុកដែរអត់ទេ? ហ្អែងអួតមានសេរីភាពហ្អេ? ហ្អែងហ៊ានទៅជេរ អាអូបាម៉ាថាអាខ្មៅទេ? កុំថាជេរអាអូបាម៉ា ជេរត្រឹមប៉ូលីសនៅអាមេរិកបានហើយ។ ហ៊ានទេ? ជយោសម្តេចតេជោ!

Anonymous said...

នាក់ថា​ គណបក្សប្រជាជនរំដោះខ្មែរ តើពិតទេ?
តើទ័ព cpp មាន​ប៉ុន្មាននាក់ទៅ និយាយនេះ​ដូចជា
ខុសទេដឹង និយាយឱ្យពិតទៅ គេដឹងទាំងអស់គ្នា
ទេ បើបានធ្វើការធំធ្វើទៅ តែកុំក្រហក់អី ។

Anonymous said...

ah pleuh sut kong kep, we are cursing every president if we wanted too no one ever go to jail for that stupid thing only ah Hun Sen did for that freedom of press.
death to Ah Hun Sen treason!
Death to youn slave!

Anonymous said...

7:38 AM - I am very sorry that I cannot write in Khmer but I read Khmer, all Khmer people known very well about Yuon save Khmer people from the Khmer Rouge regime but not helping at all Khmer people at all when they came into Cambodia brought millions of Youn people to live and grabbed land from Khmer people it is totally conquered and takeover same as Khmer Krom.

As Khmer oversea we are feeling suffering when Khmer people in Cambodia is suffering, we are one blood and soul at birth. We are trying every thing to bring Cambodia to independence, peace and autonomy if Khmer people in Cambodia are united and have a feeling to save Cambodia from the Vietnamese expansion.

Anonymous said...

Brother in KI, we are on the same page, I love your article, as I mentions befor If MR, Sam rainsy he was not Divide Khmer form one to another, from family to family, and from vilage to vilage, I will never wast my time to un-earth the Sam rainsy wrong doing, I do fully understand you are very fair and interlegent people, I like you brother and want to share with you on common senses to re-build love, united, and peaceful culture in Cambodia community, Hun sen he did tereble mistake, Sam rainsy, you and me also used to have some mistake too, no one are perfect, but hun sen also did a great achievement, that was the nature of humanbeing. but one things we all should do is Re-united. We fear YOun we fear Thai swallow our land but all parties are master in managing criticise, spread hatreat and divide Khmer from grassroot, group to group, from vilage to vilage, and spread to the whole nation, we don't want that things going to happen right, Don't you?. Brother do you absolutely understand my unique idear now.you must help me, help Kmher and help our leader to creat culture of love and united in Our Khmer nation.Best regards. Mike

ជនពាល said...

ឃេអាយមេឌា ! បើពួកលោកចង់ជួយ លោកSeng Kunnaka មែននោះ !ខ្ញុំសូមអង្វរពួកលោក
សូមឈប់យក រូបថតលោក Seng Kunnakaម្នាក់នេះ មកដាក់ក្នុងគេហទំព័រនេះទៀតទៅ ។
ពីព្រោះថា ការយករូបថត លោកSeng Kunnaka
មកដាក់នៅ ក្នុងវែបសាយនេះ ​គឺដូចជា ពួកលោកកំពុងតែធ្វើបាប​ទៅលើរូបគាត់ទៅវិញទេ ។

Anonymous said...

យើងត្រូវតែនាំគ្នានិយាយពីអំពើក្បត់ជាតិនឹងអំពើអាក្រក់
របស់មេដឹកនាំកម្ពុជា ទាំងយប់ ទាំងថ្ងៃ មានដូចជា ៖
ពួកអាឆ្កែកញ្ជះយួន ហ៊ុន សែន, ហេងសំ រិន, ជាស៊ីម,
សុខ អាន, ហោ ណាំហុង, ឱម យិនទៀង, ចៀម យីប,
វ៉ា គិម ហុង, ស ខេង, ងួន ញ៉ឹល ។ល។ និង ។ល។
និយាយហើយនិយាយទៀតដើម្បីអោយជាតិ និងអន្តរជាតិ
ដឹងឮ ទូទាំងពិភពលោក។
អោយពួកវាស្អុយឈ្មោះ ស្អុយត្រកូលរាប់ម៉ឺនសែន ឆ្នាំ...!