ROG Report on Press Freedom in Cambodia: Hardly any Independent Media
In a new report on the state of press freedom in Cambodia, Reporters Without Borders (ROG) condemns the government's persecution of opposition and critical media outlets.
"Four years ago, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen promised that no journalist should be arrested for what he writes," the new ROG report says. However, repression against media representatives continued unabated. Many journalists, it said, were facing lawsuits as a result of their reports or research. "Around ten legal proceedings have been initiated against opposition and independent journalists since January 2009," ROG continues to criticize. Senior officials did not hesitate to go to court to seek revenge for outspoken articles and reports.
The ROG report is based on the findings of an on-site investigation by one of the organization's representatives: During his visit to the Southeast Asian kingdom last December, the researcher met with Cambodian politicians such as the minister of information, diplomats, editors, journalists and representatives of human rights organizations, among others.
The ROG representative also visited newspaper editor Hang Chakra in prison. The journalist was sentenced to one year in prison for a critical article about government officials.
In the new publication, ROG also highlights the strict state control of the press and the low diversity of the country's media landscape: Of the approximately 300 media outlets registered with the Ministry of Information
registered newspapers, only 30 appear regularly. The vast majority of print media and television and radio stations support the government or are close to it. In contrast, oppositional
and critical newspapers were disappearing: With lawsuits and threats, they would, for example
pressured or advertising customers stayed away, according to an ROG release. The poor payment of journalists, blackmail of media representatives and their corruptibility are also addressed in the report.
ROG also fears that the imminent introduction of a new penal code will have a
could cause a lasting deterioration of the media situation. Representatives of the press and human rights activists criticized the lack of transparency in the drafting of the law. The reform of the penal code was already approved in October 2009 by the National Assembly and the
34 Senate, counter-arguments from the opposition were not taken into account. So far, the government has not published the text of the bill. However, as could be seen from the bill, new
Offences such as "defamation of character" or "publication of comments likely to exert pressure on
courts" were included in the law. These provisions could be misused to restrict media freedom.In its final recommendations, ROG calls on the Cambodian government, among others, to create an independent body for licensing radio and television stations to promote the emergence of independent media.
The ROG report is based on the findings of an on-site investigation by one of the organization's representatives: During his visit to the Southeast Asian kingdom last December, the researcher met with Cambodian politicians such as the minister of information, diplomats, editors, journalists and representatives of human rights organizations, among others.
The ROG representative also visited newspaper editor Hang Chakra in prison. The journalist was sentenced to one year in prison for a critical article about government officials.
In the new publication, ROG also highlights the strict state control of the press and the low diversity of the country's media landscape: Of the approximately 300 media outlets registered with the Ministry of Information
registered newspapers, only 30 appear regularly. The vast majority of print media and television and radio stations support the government or are close to it. In contrast, oppositional
and critical newspapers were disappearing: With lawsuits and threats, they would, for example
pressured or advertising customers stayed away, according to an ROG release. The poor payment of journalists, blackmail of media representatives and their corruptibility are also addressed in the report.
ROG also fears that the imminent introduction of a new penal code will have a
could cause a lasting deterioration of the media situation. Representatives of the press and human rights activists criticized the lack of transparency in the drafting of the law. The reform of the penal code was already approved in October 2009 by the National Assembly and the
34 Senate, counter-arguments from the opposition were not taken into account. So far, the government has not published the text of the bill. However, as could be seen from the bill, new
Offences such as "defamation of character" or "publication of comments likely to exert pressure on
courts" were included in the law. These provisions could be misused to restrict media freedom.In its final recommendations, ROG calls on the Cambodian government, among others, to create an independent body for licensing radio and television stations to promote the emergence of independent media.
