11 January 2006
CRACKDOWN ON GOVERNMENT CRITICS INTENSIFIES
IFEX members are calling attention to Cambodia, where authorities have recently arrested three human rights activists and launched at least nine criminal defamation lawsuits in an attempt to silence government critics and political opponents.
The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) is urging free expression groups around the world to write letters to the Cambodian government expressing concern over the arrests of Kem Sokha, the director of the Cambodia Center for Human Rights (CCHR), and Yeng Virak, coordinator of the Cambodia Center for Education of Law (CCEL).
The Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists (CAPJ) reports that both men were arrested on 31 December 2005 and are being detained at Prey Sar Prison.
According to CAPJ, Cambodian authorities have accused Sokha and Virak of unfurling a banner in a Human Rights Day demonstration on 10 December that labeled the government a "traitor regime" for ceding land to Vietnam in a border agreement.
If convicted, Sokha and Virak could each face up to one year in jail, be fined up to 10 million riels (approx. US$2,400), or both. The U.S., British and Japanese ambassadors in Cambodia have expressed concerns over the arrest and detention of the two activists.
Kem Sokha is one of Cambodia's most outspoken human rights activists, says Human Rights Watch. He was a member of the National Assembly from 1993 to 1998, where he chaired the Human Rights Commission, and was a senator from 1999 to 2002. In 2002, Sokha founded CCHR and started a popular radio programme, "Voice of Democracy", which provides a platform for Cambodians to publicly criticise the government.
Pa Guon Tieng, a journalist and producer for "Voice of Democracy", has also been arrested and charged with criminal defamation, reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). On 5 January 2006, he was formally charged as an accomplice to criminal defamation because of his participation in the Human Rights Day demonstration.
Human Rights Watch says Cambodian authorities have filed at least nine criminal defamation cases in recent months to silence critics. Beehive Radio 105 FM journalist Mam Sonando faces criminal defamation charges for critical reports he aired about the treaty with Vietnam.
On 22 December, opposition party leader Sam Rainsy was sentenced to 18 months in prison in absentia on charges of defaming Hun Sen and Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the president of the National Assembly.
In another case, Hang Sakorn, editor of the newspaper "Ponleu Samaki", faces defamation charges for alleging that a provincial prosecutor accepted a US$3,000 bribe which influenced his decision in a politically charged land dispute case, according to CPJ and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1) Write a letter protesting the lawsuits. See:
http://www.seapabkk.org/newdesign/newsdetail.php?No=425
2) Stay informed. Visit these links:
- SEAPA: http://www.seapabkk.org
- Human Rights Watch: http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/01/04/cambod12360.htm
- IFJ: http://www.ifj-asia.org/page/cambodia051208.html
- CPJ: http://www.cpj.org/news/2006/asia/cambodia05jan06na.html
- ARTICLE 19: http://tinyurl.com/7vsvz
- Radio Free Asia: http://tinyurl.com/d6eg2
- UN Human Rights Chief Condemns Arrests: http://tinyurl.com/dnqun
(Photo: Cambodian human rights activist Kem Sokha)
RSS