CCHR PRESS
RELEASE – Phnom Penh, 25 October 2012
CCHR releases
a Briefing Note: an overview of Cambodian
laws relating to freedom of expression and a summary of recent case examples to
show how laws are used and abused to stifle dissent
Today, 30 October 2012, the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (“CCHR”) releases
a Briefing Note that sets out the right to freedom of
expression as protected under Cambodian law, provides an overview of all
applicable legal provisions that relate to defamation or otherwise impact upon
the right to freedom of expression in Cambodia, and discusses several recent
case examples in which these provisions have been used as a tool to silence
critics of the Royal Government of Cambodia and its policies. The Briefing Note analyzes how the Penal Code 2009, the UNTAC Code and
the Press Law 1995 are compatible with each other, and examines relevant
provisions in some detail. The Briefing Note is intended as a legal guide for the benefit of
all human rights defenders as well as, more widely, an exercise in raising
awareness as to how the right to freedom of expression is protected in theory
and yet abused in practice in contemporary Cambodia.
CCHR Freedom of Expression Project Co-ordinator Sorn
Ramana comments:
“Given the disturbing turn for the
worse that the situation of freedom of expression in Cambodia has taken recently,
it is important that Cambodians – and human rights defenders in particular –
know what rights they have by law and how the authorities may use – and misuse
– the law against them. The
various case examples serve as a harsh reminder of what tends to happen when
people speak out. It is clear from
this analysis that Cambodia is increasingly being subjected to ‘rule by law’
rather than the ‘rule of law’ which Cambodia so desperately needs to solve its
long-standing problems.”
For more information, please contact Sorn
Ramana via telephone at +855 (0) 1765 5591 or e-mail at ramanasorn@cchrcambodia.org or Senior Consultant Robert Finch via telephone
at +855 (0) 7880 9960 or e-mail at robert.finch@cchrcambodia.org.
Kind Regards,
CCHR
1 comment:
The laws in Cambodia is " Hun sen" the paranoia thug.
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