One of Cambodia’s last free media outlets has ceased operations after Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered its closure for allegedly slandering his son in a story.
Journalists take photographs at a newsroom of the Voice of Democracy, VOD office in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen on Sunday, Feb. 12, ordered one of the handful of independent media broadcasters to shut down for publishing an article he said intentionally slandered his son in connection with the country's relief assistance to earthquake victims in Turkey.
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.
“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.” 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.
A VoD spokesperson, Sothoeuth Ith, said after receiving the closure order, “So for now, we will stay silent, we will not continue our broadcast.”
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