Civil and political rights
Access to information
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
Cambodia blocks online access to shuttered Cambodia Daily
Cambodia’s government has ordered internet service providers to block online access to The Cambodia Daily newspaper, which closed last year amid a widespread crackdown on media and civil society groups criticizing Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party. ...
Richard Finney
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/access-02052018171458.html
Draft of long-awaited access-to-information law unveiled
A proposed access-to-information law more than a decade in the making was unveiled to the public yesterday, with just one item left to finalise – punishments for officials who refuse to disclose public information. ...
Daphne Chen
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/draft-long-awaited-access-information-law-unveiled
Hun Sen chides Cambodia Daily, lauds Trump
Prime Minister Hun Sen met with members of the press yesterday, not shying away from classifying some journalists and media outlets as extortionists and tax evaders, while applauding United States President Donald Trump’s efforts to go after so-called fake news. ...
Ben Sokhean
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-politics/hun-sen-chides-cambodia-daily-lauds-trump
New media pass for journalists
The Information Ministry will use a new form of media pass for journalists working in Cambodia by the end of January in order to easily manage and collect data from journalists. ...
Mom Sophon
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50100766/new-media-pass-journalists/
Information Ministry official denies wrongdoing following anti-corruption body’s allegations
A Ministry of Information department director denied wrongdoing yesterday after the Anti-Corruption Unit released a letter on Friday detailing allegations of bribery, nepotism and improper hiring practices, as well as the accused official’s response. ...
Journalists call for release of former RFA staff
A group of local journalists have written an open letter calling for the release of former Radio Free Asia journalists Uon Chhin and Yeang Sothearin, who were arrested earlier this month. ...
Mom Sophon
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/5091112/journalists-call-release-former-rfa-staff/
Australian journalist arrested
Australian national James Ricketson was arrested on Saturday, according to police officials, with local media claiming the independent journalist was detained for “stealing information”. ...
Andrew Nachemson and Khouth Sophak Chakrya
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/australian-journalist-arrested
Whooping cough assurance
The Ministry of Health yesterday denied a local media report that children in Cambodia under one year old have a 50 percent chance of catching whooping cough. ...
Sen David
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/38756/whooping-cough-assurance/
Hun sen scolds media during forum session
Prime Minister Hun Sen used a news conference at Thursday’s World Economic Forum on Asean in Phnom Penh to warn that two foreign-owned news outlets, including The Cambodia Daily, were “against” the government and that journalists who did not report “properly” would be seen as ...
Matt Surrusco
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/hun-sen-hijacks-forum-session-to-scold-media-129604/
Fears hover over plan to collect data on all Cambodians
Every Cambodian will be assigned a 10-digit identification number under which information from various government departments, as well as the private sector, will be collected in a central database, Interior Minister Sar Kheng announced on Thursday. ...
Khuon Narim
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/fears-hover-over-plan-to-collect-data-on-all-cambodians-126693/
Cambodia scores 157th in world for open data
Cambodia ranked 157th in the world and last in Southeast Asia, according to the report, released on Tuesday by NGO Open Data Watch, dropping four points since last year to a total score of 22 out of 100. ...
Hannah Hawkins
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/cambodia-scores-157th-world-open-data-125977/
PM calls for accurate reporting
Prime Minister Hun Sen has called on all media institutions in the country to disseminate accurate news and avoid immoral acts and commentary that could sway public opinion or that of the judiciary. ...
Taing Vida
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/34311/pm-calls-for-accurate-reporting/
Post-Khmer Rouge PM dies
Pen Sovann, Cambodia’s first prime minister after the Vietnamese invasion in January 1979 that swept the Khmer Rouge from power and a serving opposition member of parliament, passed away at his home in Takeo province’s Duan Keo town on Saturday evening aged 80. ...
Taing Vida
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/31437/post-khmer-rouge-pm-dies/
Information law a step closer
The information minister announced yesterday that the government is one step closer to establishing an access to information law, in response to demands for a more transparent and responsive government. ...
Ros Chanveasna
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24538/information-law-a-step-closer/
With connectivity boom, Cambodia's political battles shift online
In September 2015, a Facebook page bearing the name of Prime Minister Hun Sen notched up its millionth “like.” Until then, the long-serving Cambodian leader had denied ever using social media, making fun of political rivals, like opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who were active online. ...
Sebastian Strangio
http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/With-connectivity-boom-Cambodia-s-political-battles-shift-online
Report calls Cambodia ‘deadliest’ country for environmental reporting
With at least four Cambodians killed in recent years trying to uncover environmental crimes, the country ranks as the “deadliest” place in the world to conduct such reporting, according to a new report. ...
Aun Chhengpor
http://www.voacambodia.com/content/report-calls-cambodia-deadliest-country-for-environmental-reporting/3093238.html