Khmer Machas Srok newspaper relaunched

By Khmerization
Source: RFA

The opposition-affiliated Khmer Machas Srok newspaper has been relaunched on Monday 21st March after suspending publications for more than 9 months in June 2010 due to financial difficulties, but began to publish online as Khmer Machas Srok Daily.

Mr. Hang Chakra, editor of Khmer Machas Srok who has been jailed nearly a year in 2009 for revealing rampant corruption in the office of Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, said the re-launched Khmer Machas Srok will not be affiliated with any political party and will take a neutral stance. He said on Monday that 1,500 issues of the re-launched Khmer Machas Srok have gone on sales in the capital Phnom Penh at the publication cost of $100 of his personal money.

The 57 year-old Hang Chakra said his newspaper began its publications in 2007 as an independent newspaper and was financed by his personal money, but took a critical stance against human rights abuses and corruption. "They always said that my newspaper is leaning toward the opposition party. But in principle, my newspaper will make the same constructive criticisms (as before), take a neutral position and is unbiased toward any parties", he said.

In June 2009, Mr. Hang Chakra was fined $2,250 and sentenced to 12 months jail term when Deputy Prime Minister Sok An sued him for defamation after he published documents and articles alleging rampant corruption among officials working under Mr. Sok An. Hang Chakra was released on 13th April 2010 by a royal pardon after serving two-thirds of his 12 month sentence.