The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 677
“Phnom Penh: Recently, several journalists have been detained by the authorities while they were fulfilling their duties as journalists and following the ethics of journalists, but some others had them arrested because dishonest merchants and related authorities exaggerated some stories changing them from right to wrong.
“According to a statement from the League of Democratic Journalists, several journalists had been arrested recently, which is really worrying. For instance, on 20 July 2010, the editor-in-chief of Chhanteak Koun Khmer was arrested in Kompong Thom, and on 21 July 2010 the editor-in-chief of Rasmei Eysan was arrested in Prek Prosob district in Kratie. On 2 August 2010, the head of a Cambodia watchdog office in Memut district in Kompong Cham was also detained.
Note:
Some information about the work of Cambodian Journalists on professional ethics:
“Those journalists were arrested, because merchants involved in illegal business colluded with dishonest officials and tried to find pretexts to put blame on journalists who were performing their work, and some wicked officials who act against their duties and the regulations sought ways to arrest the journalists in order to hide these scandals. The distortion of stories by dishonest authorities leads to internal frictions. They turn their rancor against journalists, and this becomes a concern for the function of journalism.
“The rancor by the authorities towards journalists frequently victimizes journalists. Actually, at 20:30 on 12 August 2010, also a journalist of Kampuchea Thmey was detained for a night by Dankao district police over a minor traffic accident. This resulted from discrimination by police and their rancor against journalists.
“Journalists expressed dismay over such an action from police who acted against the law. All offenses must be dealt with according to the law but not just how some people think in their mind.” Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.9, #2327, 14.8.2010
This article was first published by The Mirror, Vol. 14, No. 677 - Saturday,14.8.2010
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Norbert Klein is the Editor of The Mirror – The Mirror is a daily comprehensive summary and translation of the major Khmer language press - More about The Mirror