Cambodia’s ties with West threatened by media clampdown

One of Cambodia's last independent news outlets, VOD, was forcibly closed. This was allegedly due to VOD naming the prime minister's son, and not the prime minister himself, as the signatory of a foreign aid document.

Attacks on opposition and activists are escalating in Cambodia, with the forced closure of Voice of Democracy (VOD) this week coming as Prime Minister Hun Sen is hosting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Hun Sen has been in power since 1985. The 70-year-old is expected to lead his ruling party through a largely-uncontested general election in July, with some speculating that he would later hand over power to his eldest son Hun Manet, the country’s de-facto military chief.

Many analysts believe that the clampdown on Voice of Democracy (VOD) was an attempt to silence one of the country’s last remaining independent voices.

In full: https://www.dw.com/en/cambodias-ties-with-west-threatened-by-media-clampdown/a-64698768

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