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Cambodia Must End Legal Attacks on Media, Rights Groups Say

Hul Reaksmey

   PHNOM PENH - The Cambodian government has come under criticism by
   rights groups over what they describe as a "relentless attack" on press
   freedom including arrests, repressive laws and the revoking of media
   licenses.
   A [1]statement released Nov. 2 - the International Day to End Impunity
   for Crimes Against Journalists - and signed by 57 rights groups and
   communities, called for an end to attacks on the right of free
   expression and journalists critical of the Cambodian government.
   Cambodia-based news organizations have faced a growing number of legal
   attacks since 2017, when the government dissolved the only opposition
   party, harassed local nongovernmental groups, and forced the closure of
   independent media organizations. Since then, reporters have been
   arrested for their coverage or accused of espionage and incitement.
   The statement lists at least 13 journalists who have faced court
   complaints for their news coverage and the revocation of four media
   licenses during the coronavirus pandemic for allegedly sharing fake
   news.
   "In the past years, the Cambodian government adopted a series of
   repressive laws that have enabled a crackdown on independent media and
   social media and resorted to provisions in the penal code -- in
   particular articles 494 and 495 -- to silence critical reporting and
   its reporters," read the statement, referring to the criminal code
   provisions on incitement.
   Nop Vy, who runs the local [2]Cambodian Journalists Alliance (CamboJA),
   said there had been an escalation in attacks, detentions and charges
   against journalists, especially those who did not promote a
   pro-government lean in their coverage.
   CamboJA and three other organizations released another statement
   calling for crimes against journalists to end and for the government to
   investigate long-delayed cases.
   The four media associations said that since 1994, at least 15
   journalists had been killed in Cambodia and in almost all cases the
   victims were targeted for their work. Twelve were reporting on
   sensitive issues such as illegal logging, land grabs or corruption, but
   that there was not a single conviction in those cases.
   "We also observed that the [people] beating or persecuting journalists
   have never been arrested and brought to stand trial," said Nop Vy.
   While there have been no recent deaths, a growing number of journalists
   have been arrested on what rights groups say are often questionable
   charges. Last week, Ros Sokhet, who runs a provincial newspaper, was on
   trial for Facebook posts about Prime Minister Hun Sen's succession
   plans and alleged lack of support for Cambodians struggling to repay
   debt. The government alleges he was attempting to incite Cambodians to
   cause "social chaos."
   Sok Oudom, who owns a provincial radio station, went on trial Tuesday
   for reporting on a contentious land-grab case between local villagers
   and government officials.
   Sovann Rithy, who ran a Facebook-based news outlet, was convicted of
   incitement in October and given a suspended sentence for reporting on a
   speech by Prime Minister Hun Sen in which he said the government was
   unable to assist informal workers affected by the pandemic.

References

   1. https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/11/02/cambodias-government-should-stop-silencing-journalists-media-outlets
   2. https://www.voacambodia.com/a/journalists-form-a-new-press-association-plan-to-protect-at-risk-reporters/5136043.html

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