Cambodia has set up a "Freedom Park" designated for political demonstrations in a move critics say is another attempt to protect the government and silence dissenting voices.
The site, which is located far from government buildings and parliament, will be the only space made available to any group wanting to stage a demonstration. Protests at other locations in the capital Phnom Penh will be outlawed.
"This is the place to express opinions," the city's police chief, Touch Naruth, told Reuters. "I toured the site this morning. This is a public place where up to 5,000 people can gather," he said, noting that the law only allows a maximum of 200 people to protest and larger gatherings required written permission from the authorities.
That law was passed in October last year, sparking condemnation from rights groups and opposition lawmakers, who accused the ruling Cambodian People's Party of abusing its parliamentary majority to curtail freedom of expression.
Cambodia's defamation laws were also tightened last year after a series of court cases brought against lawmakers and journalists critical of long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen and his powerful associates.
Singapore model?
The idea for the "Freedom Park" appears to follow that of Singapore, where protests were made legal in 2008, but only in a designated "Speakers' Corner".
The Singaporean idea is modelled on a similar place in London's Hyde Park, although Britain's laws do not restrict demonstrations to a single location.
Cambodian rights group and workers' unions said the "Freedom Park" location had been specially chosen to ensure few people, including the government, were even aware of any demonstrations.
"No one will know about protests. The site is far away from the country's top institutions and it is a small area," said Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodia Confederation of Unions and the Cambodia Independent Teachers Association.
Chan Soveth, chief of monitoring at local human rights group Adhoc, said: "The Freedom Park should be in front of parliament so there are opportunities for people to express their opinions."
Police said the location was picked to prevent disruption to the lives of lawmakers and government officials.
Protests are rare in Cambodia and were often harshly dealt with by the authorities during the political upheaval of the 1990s that followed decades of civil war.
Unprecedented economic growth and stability in recent years havr kept protests to a minimum but rallies have taken place in the last few months by villagers claiming they have been forcibly evicted from their land, and garment workers demanding better pay after their industry was hit by the global economic slowdown.
(Source: R
The site, which is located far from government buildings and parliament, will be the only space made available to any group wanting to stage a demonstration. Protests at other locations in the capital Phnom Penh will be outlawed.
"This is the place to express opinions," the city's police chief, Touch Naruth, told Reuters. "I toured the site this morning. This is a public place where up to 5,000 people can gather," he said, noting that the law only allows a maximum of 200 people to protest and larger gatherings required written permission from the authorities.
That law was passed in October last year, sparking condemnation from rights groups and opposition lawmakers, who accused the ruling Cambodian People's Party of abusing its parliamentary majority to curtail freedom of expression.
Cambodia's defamation laws were also tightened last year after a series of court cases brought against lawmakers and journalists critical of long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen and his powerful associates.
Singapore model?
The idea for the "Freedom Park" appears to follow that of Singapore, where protests were made legal in 2008, but only in a designated "Speakers' Corner".
The Singaporean idea is modelled on a similar place in London's Hyde Park, although Britain's laws do not restrict demonstrations to a single location.
Cambodian rights group and workers' unions said the "Freedom Park" location had been specially chosen to ensure few people, including the government, were even aware of any demonstrations.
"No one will know about protests. The site is far away from the country's top institutions and it is a small area," said Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodia Confederation of Unions and the Cambodia Independent Teachers Association.
Chan Soveth, chief of monitoring at local human rights group Adhoc, said: "The Freedom Park should be in front of parliament so there are opportunities for people to express their opinions."
Police said the location was picked to prevent disruption to the lives of lawmakers and government officials.
Protests are rare in Cambodia and were often harshly dealt with by the authorities during the political upheaval of the 1990s that followed decades of civil war.
Unprecedented economic growth and stability in recent years havr kept protests to a minimum but rallies have taken place in the last few months by villagers claiming they have been forcibly evicted from their land, and garment workers demanding better pay after their industry was hit by the global economic slowdown.
(Source: R
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