Court ‘Information Boards’ Open to Help Judiciary

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
21 May 2008

Khmer audio aired May 21 (1.32MB) - Download (MP3)
Khmer audio aired May 21 (1.32MB) - Listen (MP3)

Provincial and municipal courts hope to strengthen their transparency through a system of public information boards, which will seek to answer questions by citizens on court procedures.

The information boards, funded through $2 million in US aid and launched Wednesday, will list civil dispute filing fees, provide criteria for waiving those fees and will help citizens understand the rights of defendants and criminal court proceedings.

The boards will operate in every province and city, said US Embassy Charge d’Affairs Piper Campbell.

Justice Minister Ang Vong Vathana called the boards “an important step toward court transparency.”

Adhoc rights investigator Ny Chakrya said installing such boards without strengthening the rest of the judicial system would produce limited results in reform.