Beehive radio station has asked the SRP, Norodom Ranariddh Party and Human Rights Party to cease trading accusations on their respective radio shows, and has threatened to terminate their broadcast contracts if they continue.
Mam Sonando, Beehive radio station director, issued a statement Monday saying that his station, which sells airtime to the parties, is not a forum for false accusations, asking the parties to cease behavior that threatens national stability.
He said his statement was prompted by a complaint from HRP President Kem Sokha after a Monday morning episode of the NRP’s “Voice of the Royalists” that accused the HRP leader of corruption when he headed the Cambodian Center for Human Rights.
“Beehive radio station would like to inform the three programs: Voice of the Royalists, [SRP’s] Candle Light, and Human Rights Voice that if you have disputes with each other and make allegations, it may lead to a court case,” Mam Sonando said.
“Beehive radio station does not prevent freedom of expression, but the station cannot accept any false and groundless broadcasts that will cause disputes and political instability,” the statement continued.
Reached by telephone Tuesday, Mam Sonando said he supports freedom of expression, but not the abuse of that freedom.
“This is a free radio but the accusations must have evidence,” he said.
NRP spokesman Muth Channtha said Beehive was pressured by Kem Sokha to issue the statement.
“Mam Sonando is unfair toward the NRP and biased toward the Human Rights Party,” Muth Channtha said, adding that Kem Sokha shouldn’t be afraid of a little criticism if he hasn’t done anything wrong.
“If you are clean, you should not be concerned,” he said.
Kem Sokha denied that he had complained about the accusations aired against him on the radio, adding that he had no influence over the station’s director.
“This is his right as the director,” Kem Sokha said of Mam Sonando’s ultimatum. “This is good to protect other individuals’ rights.”
