Civil and political rights
Access to information
Information access law in line with standards: Minister
The Information Ministry yesterday announced that the draft Law on Access to Information is ready to be reviewed during an unspecified inter-ministerial meeting next month after it deemed that the draft’s contents are in line with international standards and the constitution. It also said the draft ...
Pech Sotheary
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50649227/information-access-law-in-line-with-standards-minister/
Information access law to be finalised next month
The Ministry of Information on Tuesday concluded the final revision by key ministries of the draft Law on Access to Information, without making any major amendments. It will be submitted to the Council of Ministers to be rubber-stamped by the end of September or beginning ...
Voun Dara
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/information-access-law-be-finalised-next-month
‘Media crucial in fight against trafficking’
The Ministry of Information and the National Committee for Counter Trafficking (NCCT) joined hands to strengthen the capacity of journalists, TV presenters and commentators to upgrade their skills in helping to address human trafficking. ...
Voun Dara
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/media-crucial-fight-against-trafficking
Gov’t reviews access to information law draft
A fifth iter-ministerial meeting was held on Wednesday to continue reviewing and discussing the first draft of the Access to Information Law, even as civil society called on the ministries to accelerate its discussions. Following the meeting, which was led by the Ministry of Information, ...
Ry Sochan
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/govt-reviews-access-information-law-draft
PM raises fake news at summit
Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday addressed the Asia Media Summit in Siem Reap, outlining his priorities to increase cooperation in the region and the world to combat fake news and cybercrime, which he said are becoming a serious threat. In his speech at the ...
Khorn Savi
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pm-raises-fake-news-summit
‘Fake news’ on agenda at summit in Siem Reap
The fight against fake news in the digital era will be on the agenda as Cambodia hosts the 16th Asia Media Summit 2019 attended by some 500 participants from more than 40 countries around the world in Siem Reap province. ...
Long Kimmarita
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/fake-news-agenda-summit-siem-reap
Gov’t to amend Press Law to be ‘in line with current reality’
The Ministry of Information is preparing with relevant ministries’ and institutions’ amendments to the Press Law to bring it in line with current reality, while UN human rights monitor for Cambodia Rhona Smith has expressed concerns over press freedom in Cambodia. ...
Voun Dara
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/govt-amend-press-law-be-line-current-reality
NGOs want environmental impact report access
Civil society organisations dealing with environmental issues yesterday urged the Environment Ministry to disclose environmental impact assessment reports due to a lack of public information on whether or not companies comply with their reports after development projects have been approved. In a workshop on “Promoting Environmental ...
Pech Sotheary
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50581980/ngos-want-environmental-impact-report-access/
Access to Information draft law ready
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith yesterday confirmed that the draft law on Access to Information has been inserted into the 6th mandate of the government’s strategic plan. In an announcement dated yesterday that addressed public and civil society groups’ requests, Mr Kanharith said the ministry had ...
Taing Vida
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50577422/access-to-information-draft-law-ready/
NGOs call for speedy passage of information freedom law
A group of 19 non-governmental organisations and associations have urged the Kingdom’s legislative and executive bodies to expedite the passage of a draft law on freedom of information, which the group said had been delayed for years. ...
Long Kimmarita
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ngos-call-speedy-passage-information-freedom-law
‘All media outlets must pay tax’
Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith on Friday said Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) would be allowed to reopen their offices only after fulfilling their tax obligations. In a letter dated January 25 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, ...
Mech Dara
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/all-media-outlets-must-pay-tax
PM: Fight against fake news
Prime Minister Hun Sen raised cyber-security and access to information in his address to nearly 5,000 participants at the correspondents’ dinner held on Friday in Phnom Penh. In his speech, Hun Sen called on officials and members of the press to wage a fight against ...
Niem Chheng
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pm-fight-against-fake-news
PM calls for end to ‘fake news’
Prime Minister Hun Sen has called on local and international journalists to join hands in tackling fake news, which he said could cause social turmoil in the Kingdom and beyond. ...
Mech Dara
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/pm-calls-end-fake-news
Fake news a serious issue
The Club of Cambodian Journalists (CCJ) on Monday said ‘fake news’ has been polluting publications and sparking controversy in the Kingdom, especially on social media. The remarks were made on Monday at a roundtable discussion organised by CCJ in Phnom Penh. ...
Voun Dara
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/fake-news-serious-issue
Rights groups, former opposition concerned by sale of independent newspaper to investor linked to PM
Human rights groups and former opposition officials have expressed concerns over the impact of the recent sale of the Phnom Penh Post newspaper to a Malaysian investor with historical ties to Prime Minister Hun Sen. ...
At Cambodia’s last independent newspaper, top editor fired, foreign journalists quit
All but a handful of foreign journalists on staff at The Phnom Penh Post, Cambodia’s last remaining independent daily newspaper, resigned on Wednesday. Citing differences over the meaning of “editorial independence,” they quit within days after new owners fired its editor-in-chief who refused to remove a published ...
Hul Reaksmey
https://www.voanews.com/a/cambodia-last-independent-newspaper-editor-fired-reporters-quit/4387613.html
Newspaper staff protest firing of editor as new owners cull dissenting voices
Kay Kimsong was fired on Monday after representatives of the new owner ordered senior staff to remove an article about the sale from its website, claiming factual inaccuracies. ...
Hul Reaksmey
https://www.voacambodia.com/a/newspaper-staff-protest-firing-of-editor-as-new-owners-cull-dissenting-voices/4384807.html
Phnom Penh Post sold to Malaysian investor
Saturday’s announcement by Post Media CEO Bill Clough identified the buyer of the English-language Phnom Penh Post as Sivakumar G., who was described as having an experienced journalist’s background and representing a strong investment group from Malaysia. No price was given. ...
Associated Press
https://www.voacambodia.com/a/phnom-penh-post-sold-malaysian-investor/4382678.html
New start or sad end for Cambodia’s last free newspaper?
Saturday’s announcement of the sale of The Phnom Penh Post, Cambodia’s oldest and most respected newspaper, came as no surprise to many who had been following recent events in the country. Rumors had circulated for months about the fate of the country’s last independent English-language ...
Alan Parkhouse
http://www.atimes.com/article/new-start-or-sad-end-for-cambodias-last-free-newspaper/
Women’s minister criticised after failing to name a female journalist
Minister of Women’s Affairs Ing Kantha Phavi’s admission last week that she was unable to name a Cambodian woman journalist sparked a minor controversy on social media, with current and former journalists taking to social media to criticise her remarks. ...
Yesenia Amaro
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/womens-minister-criticised-after-failing-name-female-journalist
As Cambodia marks press freedom day, journalists fear increasing restrictions following crackdown
As the world celebrated Press Freedom Day on Thursday, the mood among Cambodian journalists was subdued following a months-long crackdown on dissent in the media. The theme of this year’s event was “Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice and The Rule of Law”, and special attention ...
CCFC event blocked yet again
A gathering in Svay Rieng province of some 40 villagers led by a farmers’ organisation was shut down by local police on Thursday because the group allegedly had not requested permission, though provincial authorities had been notified the week before. ...
Soth Koemsoeun
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ccfc-event-blocked-yet-again
Information Ministry claims press freedom supporters are ‘killing’ democracy
Cambodia’s Ministry of Information has chalked up 2017 as a “huge success for the government”, saying supporters of jailed journalists were “killing” democracy and the closure of multiple media outlets was necessary. ...
Mech Dara and Erin Handley
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/information-ministry-claims-press-freedom-supporters-are-killing-democracy
Press freedom ‘collapsed’ in 2017, journalist survey says
The “façade of media freedom” in the Kingdom “collapsed” last year, with journalists reporting a sharp drop in their hopes for independent press, according to the results of a new survey launched yesterday. The Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM) study surveyed 75 journalists from ...
Rinith Taing
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/press-freedom-collapsed-2017-journalist-survey-says