One of Cambodia’s last free media outlets, Voice of Democracy radio ceased operations today, February 13, 2023 after Prime Minister, Hun Sen ordered its closure for allegedly slandering his son in a news story.
The Prime Minister ordered the closure on Sunday, February 12, 2023.
The story, which was also published on the website of VoD, as the station is better known, said that Hun Sen’s son, Lt. Gen. Hun Manet, had signed a donation of $100,000 for Turkey earthquake relief on his father’s behalf.
Hun Sen said the article misinterpreted the facts and that only the Prime Minister has the authority to make decisions on foreign aid.
VoD acknowledged it had made a mistake, but that did not satisfy Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia with an iron fist for 38 years, during which he has cracked down on critics and independent media.
Hun Sen’s son heads the army and has been nominated by Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party to succeed him when he steps down.
With most opponents silenced, including the only credible opposition party, Hun Sen is expected to lead his party to another victory in a general election scheduled for later this year.
VoD has reported extensively on sensitive issues such as land grabbing and criminal gangs operating with near impunity to carry out internet scams with people, especially foreigners, tricked into working under conditions of near slavery.
A previous media clampdown has already forced several outlets out of business on disputed grounds that they had not properly paid their taxes.
The Information Ministry disclosed that VoD’s license was being revoked “because it has seriously violated the ethics of professional journalism and did not make a correction according to the press law, affecting the honor and prestige of the government.”
VoD Has Been Living On Borrowed Time
Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director of Human Rights Watch, said the Cambodian government “has never liked VoD’s reporting, and given Prime Minister Hun Sen’s authoritarian attitude towards independent media, it’s likely VoD has been living on borrowed time for a while.”
“But that’s no excuse for this outrageous and ridiculous order to shut them down based on the silliest of rationales about who signed a government document to give aid to Turkey. This flimsy and absurd decision barely masks the government’s real intent to further suppress media freedom.”
Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director of Human Rights Watch
Robertson noted that historically, Hun Sen and his party usually crack down hard on any independent voices ahead of a national election.
“Going after VoD is a good indication that scheduled July 23 poll will be neither free nor fair,” he added.
Hun Sen ordered VoD to cease operating at 10 a.m. on Monday, February 13, 2023 and the station’s personnel were at their desks when representatives from Phnom Penh City Hall and the Information Ministry arrived to serve the order. The road outside was closed in an apparent effort to quash any street protests.
However, there were no confrontations because VoD said it would honor the license revocation. Hun Sen had advised the authorities to inform the station when the deadline arrived and not take any further action.
After the authorities left, other reporters visited the VoD office to hear staff express their disappointment.
“We Will Stay Silent”
A VoD spokesperson, Sothoeuth Ith, said after receiving the closure order, “So for now, we will stay silent, we will not continue our broadcast.”
“Maybe hopefully this is not the end of everything,” he said.
In what appeared to refer to the possibility that Hun Sen might eventually restore VoD’s license, he added, “We will try our best to work with all relevant stakeholders and hopefully a solution can be realized.”
The U.S. Embassy in Cambodia said it was “deeply troubled by the abrupt decision” to revoke VoD’s media license.
“We urge Cambodian authorities to revisit this decision,” the embassy said in a statement.
The statement added that the station “has provided objective, fact-based reporting on issues that serve the interests of the Cambodian people” for more than 20 years.
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