“Neither fair nor free” elections for Human Rights Watch

Cambodge Soir
28-07-2008

The New York based organisation criticised the uneven access to media coverage for the political parties.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) thinks that Sunday's Parliamentary elections are “neither fair, nor free”, especially due to the “near-monopoly on broadcast media for the ruling Cambodian People's Party's (CPP) ” and the"harrassment" of opposition parties.

“Elections in Cambodia under existing conditions devalue the process and remove Cambodian people from free and fair elections,” said Brad Adams, Human Rights Watch director.

The Human Rights organisation noted that television and radio “almost exclusively” broadcasted information biased towards the CPP. Human Rights Watch added that on July 10, the National Elections Committee sent a warning to 13 television and radio stations for “unfair coverage” of the election.

In a release published on Saturday July 26, HRW evokes some of the campaign period's notable events, such as the killing of journalist Khim Sambor and the jailing of Dam Sith, publisher of “Moneaksekar Khmer”.

“Sith was released after a few days in jail but he is still being sued for his article”, believes HRW.<0}

The reporter was sued for reproducing comments made by opposition leader, Sam Rainsy, involving the uncertain past of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hor Nam Hong during the Khmer rouges era.

{Hor Nam Hong announced on Friday July 27, that his complaint was withdrawn against Dam Sith but that he still maintained that against Sam Rainsy.

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith reacted to the Human Rights Watch release : “Coming from Brad Adams, this is not surprising as he holds a grudge against the government after his expulsion for professional misconduct as a Human rights militant when marching ahead of demonstrations. Since his expulsion he hates Hun Sen”.