An order from Prime Minister Hun Sen was behind Sunday evening’s release of the editor and reporter for the Chakraval (Universe) Daily newspaper who were detained Saturday after the newspaper printed two articles critical of a top police official, officials said on Monday.
Hun Sen had not known about the journalists’ arrests when they occurred Saturday, but as soon as he found out he demanded they be released, said Om Yentieng, an adviser to the premier who also serves on the government’s human rights committee.
“He asked police to set the two free in 20 minutes and not to pursue them further,” Om Yentieng said. The prime minister is concerned about press freedom and wants to prevent abuses, Om Yentieng said. “Even though they printed defamatory and false information, they shouldn’t be detained,” he said.
“I think the best way to deal with defamation is for the person who was defamed to come to the newspaper and prove it.”
Chakraval Editor Keo Sorphoan and reporter Chey Makara were arrested on Saturday after the newspaper printed two articles critical of National Police Director General Hok Lundy. Police said the arrests were made on a complaint from Hok Lundy.
Keo Sorphoan said Monday that police never produced a warrant for the pair’s arrest.
The newspaper, which is generally pro-government, will not be cowed by the arrests, Keo Sorphoan said. “We will not be afraid to write [critical] stories about the government if we have evidence,” he said.
The Cambodian Association for Protection of Journalists released a statement on Sunday saying the arrests “[threatened] the freedom of expression in Cambodia” and violated the press law.
The association “considers this brutal act…bad [behavior by] the Cambodian police when Cambodia pretends…[to be] committed to the rule of law,” the statement said.
Or people can keep silent when [newspapers] write things about them, and eventually they will get fed up and stop writing
