CAMBODIA PUSHES LAW THAT MAKES INSULTING THE KING A CRIME

Posted by AsiaViews | Feb 8, 2018 | 0 |

Investvine-Feb 3

Cambodia’s cabinet on Feb 2 endorsed an amendment to the criminal code making insulting the king a criminal offense punishable by a fine and prison time. The change must still go to both houses of parliament for approval, but it is expected it will almost certainly be ratified.

The lèse majesté law would make it illegal to make disparaging comments against the monarchy, as well as a slew of other amendments that will inevitably curb free speech, critics say. There are also concerns in the current repressive political climate that lèse majesté could be wielded by the Hun Sen government similar to how royal defamation is enforced in Thailand by both elected and coup-installed regimes.

The Cambodia government, in turn, argues the amendment is needed to “protect the honor and reputation of the monarch.”

Proposed punishments for breaking the new law are thought to be a prison sentence of between one and five years, and a fine of about $2,500. There is speculation, however, the fine could be as much as $15,000.

King Norodom Sihamoni, 64, Cambodia’s current monarch, is a constitutional monarch who maintains a low profile and plays a minimal role in public affairs, while Prime Minister Hun Sen exercises almost absolute control over politics.

King Sihamoni himself has never bid to sue for defamation and, by all accounts, is supportive of free speech. He has made no public comments about the new proposed law.

His passive attitude toward politics has given rise to some criticism in recent years as Hun Sen — who technically needs Sihamoni to approve new laws — has launched harsh crackdowns on his opponents.

Currently, only Thailand and Malaysia have lèse majesté laws in Asia, Elsewhere, it is forbidden to criticize the royalty in Morocco, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. In Europe, there are such laws, although very rarely applied, in the Netherlands and Spain, and a libel law protecting the monarch in Denmark.

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EXTRICATING NDONESIAN CHILDREN FROM ISIS INFLUENCE ABROAD

Indonesia urgently needs to revisit the possibility of repatriating the neediest of its young citizens stranded abroad, whose families had earlier joined ISIS. Most of these children are in camps in northern Syria but there are also small numbers in the Philippines, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Extricating Indonesian Children from ISIS Influence Abroad”, the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) argues that the government could begin by bringing back small groups of unaccompanied children under ten years of age, who pose minimal security risk and are most vulnerable to deteriorating conditions in the camps.“The problem is that health and security conditions are worsening by the day in the Syrian camps, and the children are growing older,” says Dyah Kartika, IPAC analyst. “They need access to schools, a nurturing environment, and medical attention. If the government waits too long, the children will be further exposed to ISIS ideology.” The new report examines a 2019 list of Indonesians in camps and prisons run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Indonesian government has been trying to verify their citizenship, but with pseudonyms, misspellings and bad transliterations, it is a daunting task. At the time the data was collected, between March and June 2019, there were 555 Indonesians in SDF camps and prisons, including 367 children. Among the children, approximately 277 were under the age of ten and 34 were unaccompanied. In June 2021, there are fewer than ten children who are both unaccompanied and under the age of ten that could be prioritized for return. Bringing back children of ISIS families is no easy task. The report analyses the main challenges faced by the Indonesian government. These include definitional issues, bureaucratic competition, the difficulty of verifying nationality, evaluating the toll of exposure to conflict, assessing security risk, and finding relatives or others willing to provide care once the children are returned. In addition, COVID has meant stringent restrictions on travel, placing further obstacles in the way of repatriation. There are several models for rehabilitation of children exposed to violent extremism in Indonesia that could be modified to accommodate the needs of children repatriated from abroad. The report examines these models and argues that the government does not need to have every detail of rehabilitation programs in place before it starts extricating children from ISIS influence. It can start by bringing back the most vulnerable children and then modify programs as needed.

“It’s important that the government see these children as victims” says Dyah. “They deserve a chance to be children again.”

CAMBODIA PUSHES LAW THAT MAKES INSULTING THE KING A CRIME