PhnomPenhPost-Sept 18, 2024
The Permanent Mission of Cambodia in Geneva, the Ministry of Information and several of Cambodia’s press associations have strongly defended the recently issued Charter for Professional Journalism, following calls by UN experts for its suspension. The experts expressed concerns over the rushed development of the charter and the lack of comprehensive consultation during its drafting process, urging reforms to safeguard freedom of expression and the press. In a report released on September 12, UN specialists criticized the Cambodian government for providing stakeholders only nine days to comment on the draft, raising alarms over the charter’s broad scope and its failure to establish proper remedies for factual errors. “The charter fails to incorporate a public interest override or establish the rights of correction and reply,” the experts stated, stressing that the process should have been more inclusive and transparent. They emphasized that Cambodia, as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, should ensure its media regulations comply with international human rights law, particularly in relation to freedom of expression.
In a press statement released on September 17, the permanent mission described the charter as a “legal milestone to protect journalists and build public trust in the media” and expressed perplexity over what it termed a “misleading and prejudiced” report by UN human rights experts. According to the statement, the charter was formulated based on comprehensive consultations and evaluations with over 300 journalists, media associations and relevant institutions. It added that contrary to the claims made by the UN, the charter ensures the right to access truthful information and upholds the duties and responsibilities associated with press freedom. The UN’s call to suspend the charter sparked swift reactions from a number of the country’s press associations. Read more at: https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/controversy-over-cambodia-s-journalism-charter-following-un-criticism
