Cambodians clash with police over independent media
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Several hundred supporters of a radio station owner and government critic clashed with police yesterday at a rally calling for him to be granted a relay station and a TV licence.
Mam Sonando, whose Beehive radio station is critical of the administration of Prime Minister Hun Sen, has been requesting the relay station and TV licence for years but been told by the Ministry of Information that there are no available frequencies.
Pro-government broadcasters have reportedly been granted licences in that time.
Sonando’s supporters, many having travelled from the countryside to the capital, were blocked from marching to the ministry by dozens of police.
Two protesters were injured, and one more was arrested.
A similar protest in January was also broken up by police.
Sonando, who regularly addresses issues such as land grabs and corruption, arrived to cheers from the crowd.
“We’re not here today to stage a war. We know freedom will prevail,” the 72-year-old said.
Nearly all print and broadcast media in Cambodia is aligned with the government. The country was ranked 144th out of 180 countries in this year’s World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders.
Local rights group Adhoc said police had violated the constitution for breaking up the peaceful gathering.
“People have the right to assemble ... so this is a severe restriction of the rights of the people,” said Nay Vanda, the group’s deputy head of monitoring.
