UN staffer jailed for ‘anti-government’ materials
Sunday, 19 December 2010
Thet Sambath and Sebastian Strangio
The Phnom Penh Post
Phnom Penh Municipal Court sentenced a Cambodian United Nations employee on Sunday to six months jail for disseminating material critical of the government, only two days after his arrest.
Seng Kunnaka, who is employed as a guard by the UN World Food Programme, was arrested in Russei Keo district on Friday in possession of printed material from the online news blog KI-Media.
Am Sam Ath, technical supervisor for local rights group Licadho, said Seng Kunnaka was convicted of criminal incitement under Article 495 of the new Penal Code. Judge Keo Vandy also ordered him to pay 1 million riels (US$250) in fines, he said.
Chet [Roi?] Khemara, a prosecutor at the court, was reluctant to discuss the contents of the printed material confiscated from Seng Kunnaka, saying he was too busy to talk.
Ung Borith, the police chief of Kilometre 6 commune in Russey Keo district said the arrest was made because Seng Kunnaka “spread information to other people to read”.
KI-Media, a popular blog run by Khmer exiles, aggregates news articles relating to Cambodia and often takes a strong anti-government line.
Seng Kunnaka’s speedy trial has come under attack from opposition figures and rights activists, who have described it as a clear attack on freedom of expression.
“This rushed trial and groundless conviction is further proof of the growing crackdown on freedom of expression by the Cambodian government,” Licadho Director Naly Pilorge said in a statement yesterday.
Naly Pilorge added that his conviction under the new Penal Code – which came into effect on December 10 – was a signal that free speech would suffer under the new legislation.
“The new criminal code in its current form is a threat to freedom of expression in the country. This conviction, exactly 10 days after the enactment of the new criminal code, is clear evidence of that,” she added.
Opposition Sam Rainsy Party spokesman Yim Sovann said the party “condemned” the nature of Seng Kunnaka’s conviction.
“Some leaders are not generous. Who can feed his children while he is in prison?” he said.
He also downplayed suggestions that KI-Media was aligned with the SRP, saying that in either case it was a legitimate source that he had used himself.
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