NEC Says Statement on Bloggers Not an Attack on Free Speech

Despite fears that a warning to users of social media and Internet blogs will dampen free speech, the head of National Election Committee (NEC) has insisted the intention was not to limit expression ahead of July’s national election. The NEC last week issued a statement requesting that bloggers and users of various social media “do not provide wrong information about the election (especially the date of the election), create fear, confusion or a loss of confidence in the secrecy of the vote.” NEC Secretary-General Tep Nytha said yesterday that the statement was not a threat to people speaking openly, but that the committee would act against errant users. … He [Mr. Tep Nytha] cited Article 124 of the law, which states that voters or candidates can be removed from the voter list, have their candidacy for the election cancelled and be fined up to 25 million reil, for disrupting the electoral process. … “They have a right to talk about politics or criticise the NEC, we just don’t want them to share the wrong information, or create fear and confusion that will affect the election.” … Moeun Tola, who heads the labor program at the Community Legal Education Center and regularly posts about politics on Facebook, said the message could make Cambodians feel less free to share information about the elections online. …

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