Cambodian crackdown on public protest stirs human rights fears

October 22 2009
By Tim Johnston in Bangkok
The Financial Times (UK)

Free-speech advocates say that a law passed yes-ter-day by Cambodia's legislature limiting the size of demonstrations is the latest example of rising intolerance in the region.

The Cambodian parliament, which is dominated by the Cambodian People's party of Hun Sen, the prime inister, passed the law limiting public demonstrations to a maximum of 200 people with the aim of ensuring "public order and national security".

Public demonstrations are a popular form of protest in Cambodia. The opposition, comprehensively outnumbered in parliament, uses them to make political points but they are also a last resort for groups of impoverished farmers and slum-dwellers who say they are the victims in land -disputes with developers and powerful allies of the government. Mu Sochua, an opposition mem-ber of parliament, said: "It is limiting freedom of assembly and that will severely limit freedom of expression." Mu Sochua recently lost a libel case against Hun Sen in a highly controversial court decision.

Human rights advocates have long accused Hun Sen and his administration of using the country's courts to stifle opposition , an accusation the government denies, saying it is merely using universally available legal remedies to protect its -reputation.

Last week, the parliament altered the penal code to make it easier to bring libel actions.

United Nations human rights observers were not allowed to attend the debate, because of procedural problems in the admission of visitors, according to the ruling party, and a live television feed broke down because of technical problems.

Brad Adams, the Asia director for Human Rights Watch, says the Cambodian laws are only the latest in a worrying regional trend, something he says is paradoxical given that the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations is to launch its intergovernmental commission on human rights this week.

"There is no country among Asean nations that has a positive human rights trend at the moment," he said. "There is lip service to free speech but the reality on the ground is very different."

Reporters Without Borders recently downgraded Thailand in its survey on freedom of the press to 130th in the world, from 124th, as the result of renewed use of the country's laws against insulting the royal family, which can carry a 15-year sentence.

Vietnam came under fire this month after nine democracy activists were given sentences of between two and six years for challenging the government.

Assembly Resumes Demonstration Debate

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
19 October 2009

The National Assembly on Monday restarted debate on a demonstrations law that critics charge will erode freedoms of speech and assembly.

Seventy-six of 103 lawmakers, all of them from the dominant Cambodian People’s Party, approved the second chapter of the draft law, with members of the Sam Rainsy and Human Rights parties voting against.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said the law would allow the government to oppress “democrats.”

Proponents of the law, which sets rules on when demonstrations can and can’t be held, say it is necessary for preventing unrest.

“This law is important, important for us to follow the law and carry it out for people who do not respect the law,” Heng Samrin, president of the National Assembly, told reporters after Monday’s session.

Critics find faults in places like Chapter 2, Article 7, which requires the announcement of peaceful demonstrations five days ahead of its scheduled date, and Article 14, which limits the number of demonstrators in any gathering to 200 people.

“This law closes democracy for those who want peaceful demonstrations,” Sam Rainsy said.

Kem Sokha, president of the Human Rights Party, said the law remained unclear on the precepts of national security and public disorder that would be used by authorities to allow or prevent demonstrations.

Debate on the demonstration law follows the passage earlier this month of a modern penal code.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, rights group and opposition members urged the passage of two laws that would strengthen the judiciary.

Hun Sen’s gov’t set up the “quick response team”

Freedom of expression role model used by the Hun Sen's regime

30 January 2008
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

The Cambodian government has set up a special group dubbed the “quick response team” to counter opposition news media and foreign radio stations that publish information attacking the government. However, the government setup has been criticized by human rights group activists and opposition news media.

Khieu Kanharith, the minister of information and spokesman for the government, told RFA about the goal for the setup of this special group, saying that: “Right now, H.E. Sok An formed a new group for quick response, but it does not work yet. Now, there is a “quick response team” to counter the attacks (on the government) by news media and radio station on Cambodia, (for this,) there is an additional group belonging to the government.”

He indicated that the special “quick response team” will be chaired by Chum Bun Rong, the current spokesman of the National Authority for Resolution of Land Disputes (NARLD), and by Phay Siphan, the spokesman of the Council of Ministers, who will act as its vice-chairman. The team will be under the direct supervision of Sok An, the vice-prime minister and minister of the Council of Minsiters.

Mrs. Pung Chiv Kek, President of the Licadho human rights organization, said that she is concerned about the formation of this special group: “If the government is taking this action to improve democracy, so that there is freedom of expression rights, then it is a good thing, but if the government has the idea of creating this group to pressure and give hardship on journalists, then I am saying that the freedom of expression is taking a step backward instead.”

Pen Samithy, president of the Cambodia Journalists Club, said that he welcomes this action: “I believe that this action is a good thing, because we will be able to obtain immediate reaction from the government, and we will know the government’s standing in a number of issues.”

Dam Sith, director and editor of the Moneaksekar Khmer, who recognized that he supports the opposition party, said, in reaction to this news: “The elimination of the freedom of expression is tantamount to a threat, and this “quick response team” is only used to hide their bad activities.”

On 25 December of 2007, the Cambodian ministry of information issued a 6-point directive, including a number of important points, such as preventing newspaper and magazine editors from writing article criticizing the king, the security and the social order. They are prevented from using rude words, from scorning or drawing animal pictures to compare to the religion and to the leading institutions, such as the Senate, the National Assembly or the government.

However, some of the points in this directive are considered by human rights activist and civil society as a blocking of the freedom of expression.