EDITORIAL: Cambodian press in peril

The fate of two Cambodian journalists accused of espionage — Uon Chhin and Yeang Sothearin — hangs in the balance as their trial resumes in Phnom Penh today, although the charges against them are based on absurd grounds and flimsy evidence.

The bogus case against the duo has had a chilling effect on freedom of the press and ordinary people in Thailand’s neighbouring country.

The pair were just two among many media professionals, government critics and opposition members who have fallen prey to Hun Sen’s government ruthless crackdown, which began before last year’s general election.

In September 2017, Kem Sokha, the leader of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was arrested and charged with treason.

Two months later, the CNRP was dissolved by the pro-government Supreme Court. Its senior members were banned from politics for five years.

Independent media outlets were also coerced to shut down or suspend their operations. Among them was Radio Free Asia (RFA), the news agency funded by the US government, where both Uon Chhin and Yeang Sothearin worked.

Hun Sen’s government has been hostile to Western governments for their criticism of Cambodia’s human rights record and the rule of law. It accused the US government of helping the opposition plot a revolution. Right after the closure of the RFA bureau in Phnom Penh, authorities also denounced anyone who continue to work there as “spies”.

This statement is what landed the pair in hot water — as both men were charged with espionage, as well as producing pornography.

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If found guilty, they could end up in jail for seven to 15 years.

The police arrested the two at Uon Chhin’s apartment in November 2017, accusing them of “illegally collecting information for a foreign source”. But the pair said they only filed stories which had been widely reported in the public domain to their former boss out of their passion for journalism. No material in the stories was deemed state secrets, they said.

The crackdown helped secure victory for Hun Sen’s Cambodia People’s Party. After the victory, a number of government critics including Uon Chhin and Yeang Sothearin were released from prison.

This reflected a certain pattern of suppression followed by Hun Sen’s regime, which has ruled Cambodia for over 30 years. The government usually rolled back control on its critics after it secures power, in order to appease donors and trade partners, such as the European Union.

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However, since the EU threatened to impose trade sanctions early this year, Hun Sen’s regime believes it can get help from a new trade partner — China. The crackdown has now resumed, with more government critics and reporters arrested this year. The court’s decision in March to proceed with Uon Chhin and Yeang Sothearin’s trial is a part of the trend.

In a country where the judiciary is known for lacking impartiality, the pair are unlikely to get a fair trial. Their lawyer told the RFA that during the first court hearing late last month that the presiding judge asked questions “with little relevance” to the charges.

Today’s trial seems to indicate darker days ahead for the press in Cambodia.

The authorities must realise that the charges against the journalists are weak and drop it. Proceeding with the case will make a mockery of Cambodia’s justice system.