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Cambodia reverses ban on foreign radio programs

U.S. calls ban a serious infringement of press freedom

The Associated Press  / Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Posted: Jun 30, 2013 1:01 AM ET 

Last Updated: Jun 30, 2013 1:57 AM ET

The U.S. strongly criticized Cambodia on Friday for banning radio stations from carrying foreign-produced programming in the local Khmer language during the campaign for next month's elections.

State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said Friday that's a serious infringement of press freedom and such restrictions call into question whether the July 28 vote will be free and fair.

'Serious infringement'

The election is almost certain to see Prime Minister Hun Sen, Asia's longest-serving leader, extend his 28 years in power. His government is already accused of harassing political opponents. The Obama administration has said the exclusion of exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy threatens the vote's legitimacy.

The directive, dated Tuesday and signed by acting Information Minister Ouk Pratna, orders all FM stations to stop rebroadcasting radio programs from foreign stations through the monthlong campaign period that began Thursday, until election day. It threatens legal action if they fail to comply.

"This directive is a serious infringement of freedom of the press and freedom of expression and starkly contradicts the spirit of a healthy democratic process," Ventrell told reporters at the State Department. He urged the Cambodian government to reconsider.

Radio Free Asia said its Khmer service has been dropped by 10 stations. It called the directive "the most sweeping and stunning frontal assault on media freedom in Cambodia in recent memory."

Cambodians deprived of critical news

Voice of America also condemned it, saying it deprives the Cambodian audiences of critical news and information on the election.

"These types of balanced and informative broadcasts are needed more than ever during the elections and we condemn any effort to silence the media," VOA said in a statement.

Both of the Washington-based networks are U.S. government funded. They said they would continue broadcasts by shortwave radio, satellite and on the Internet.

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Cambodia reverses ban on foreign programs on radio

PHNOM PENH | Sun Jun 30, 2013 12:43am EDT

(Reuters) - Cambodia has quickly reversed a ban on foreign media content on local radio stations after protests from broadcasters, the public and the United States, which had expressed concern about the flow of information ahead of a general election next month.

Prime Minister Hun Sen, one of the world's longest-serving leaders, has total control of local television and most radio stations and his Cambodian People's Party (CPP) is expected to win the election on July 28.

Late on Friday, the Information Ministry had told radio stations to suspend broadcasting Khmer-language programs by foreign media until after the election. It reinforced the message with a phone call to at least one local station on Friday evening.

The ministry issued a statement late on Saturday overturning the ban. Information Minister Khieun Kanharith said on his Facebook page the ban had been ordered by other officials while he had been campaigning for the election outside the capital.

"Shutting down information and media is not the option of the Information Ministry. Thanks to officials for understanding this, even though in the last few days I have been insulted unfairly," he added.

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Cambodia drops ban on foreign-produced radio shows

Published June 30, 2013​ - http://www.foxnews.com

PHNOM PENH (AFP) –  Cambodia reversed a ban on local radio stations airing foreign-produced broadcasts in the run-up to next month's general election, following US criticism of the move as an attack on freedom of expression.

Local FM radio stations were this week ordered by the Information Ministry to provide "neutral" coverage of the election campaign and to suspend broadcasting Khmer-language programmes made by foreign broadcasters until after the July 28 general election.

The edict was criticised by broadcasters and the US State Department, who said it was a "serious infringement" of freedom of expression.

But in a U-turn on Sunday the Information Ministry issued a statement saying it had allowed local radio stations "to resume airing (foreign-produced) programmes as usual."

US-funded Radio Free Asia (RFA), which produces content in the Khmer language, had called the ban "a blatant strategy to silence the types of disparate and varied voices that characterise an open and free society."

Cambodia on Thursday officially started campaigning for the July 28 general election, expected to be won by strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen who is seeking to extend his 28-year grip on the country.

His government is regularly accused of suppressing political freedoms and muzzling activists.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, his main challenger, is barred from running in the polls due to a string of convictions that the opposition says are politically motivated.

Rainsy, who lives in exile in France to avoid prison, faces 11 years in jail if he returns, after he was convicted in absentia for charges that included publishing a "false map" of the border with Vietnam.