Media watchdogs on Wednesday expressed concern that the resignation on Saturday of Kem Gunawadh, long-serving director-general of state broadcaster TVK, was due to the station’s airing of an opposition campaign spot showing violent government protest repressions.
In a statement, the Cambodian Center for Independent Media and Reporters Without Borders called on the Information Ministry to release the full details of Mr. Gunawadh’s resignation.
“The timing of Gunawadh’s resignation, just days after TVK ran a CNRP political ad showing footage of government crackdowns on protesters, is highly suspect and points to a potential political motivation behind Gunawadh’s departure,” it says.
On Saturday, Infor-mation Minister Khieu Kanharith denied the resignation had anything to do with the footage, and Mr. Gunawadh himself has not spoken to the media since his departure.
Yet Benjamin Ismail, head of Reporters Without Borders’ Asia-Pacific desk, said the resignation was an ominous sign.
“If there are tensions between the Ministry of Information and TVK, it means that no media in the country is safe from the pressure of the ruling party.”
