New York, July 14, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists expresses its grave concern about a lawsuit filed by the Cambodian government against Dam Sithek, publisher of the Khmer-language Moneakseka newspaper, for allegedly publishing false information. Deputy Prime Minister Sok An filed the charges through a government lawyer earlier this week over a June 13 article…
New York, July 7, 2006 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by a series of death threats made against You Saravuth, editor of the bi-weekly Khmer-language newspaper Sralanh Khmer . Saravuth has gone into hiding and could not be contacted by CPJ. “We call upon Prime Minister Hun Sen to quickly launch an…
New York, June 8, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the arrest of Cambodian journalist Hem Choun, a reporter with the occasional Khmer-language newspaper Samrek Yutethor. Chuon was arrested June 7 by military police while reporting on the eviction of squatters by security forces at Sombok Chab, 11 miles (19 kilometers) outside the capital Phnom…
New York, May 30, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes Cambodia’s abolition of prison as punishment for libel, but urges Prime Minister Hun Sen to decriminalize defamation completely. On May 26, Cambodia’s lower house of parliament passed legislation eliminating penalties of eight days to one year in prison for defamation convictions. The amendments are expected…
AFGHANISTAN: 1 Ali Mohaqqiq Nasab, Haqooq-i-Zan (Women’s Rights) Imprisoned: October 1, 2005 The attorney general ordered editor Nasab’s arrest on blasphemy charges after the religious adviser to President Hamid Karzai, Mohaiuddin Baluch, filed a complaint about his magazine. “I took the two magazines and spoke to the Supreme Court chief, who wrote to the attorney…
CAMBODIA The jailing of a prominent radio journalist in Phnom Penh and assaults on journalists in remote, lawless regions raised concerns about Cambodia’s commitment to press freedom guarantees enshrined in its 1993 Constitution and 1994 Press Law. On October 11, police arrested Mam Sonando for an interview he conducted on Radio Sambok Khmum (Beehive Radio)…
New York, January 24, 2006— The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomed the decision by Prime Minister Hun Sen Tuesday to drop criminal defamation charges against journalists Mom Sonando, Kem Sokha, and Pa Guon Tieng. The three were released on bail on January 18 after being jailed for criticizing a new border treaty with Vietnam. Similar…
New York, January 18, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the politicized prosecution of Cambodian journalists and calls on Prime Minister Hun Sen to drop all criminal defamation charges against Mom Sonando, Kem Sokha, and Pa Guon Tieng. The prime minister ordered the men released on bail Tuesday to coincide with a visit by U.S.…