NGOs Appreciate Withdrawal of Chea Mony Suit

A complaint about Chea Mony was filed after a speech on August 17 at the Appeal Court where he criticized Government officials over his brother, Chea Vichea’s assassination in January 2004. Chea Vichea’s had been a vocal FTUWKC member and vociferous critic of the Cambodian Government.

“The Premier supposed that [Chea Mony] always says bad thing because he lost a close relative, therefore, the premier asked the Government’s lawyer to withdraw the complaint,” said Khieu Kahanarith, Government spokesman and Information Minister.

Asked if the Government should withdraw the complaints in other cases like Hang Chakra, Khmer Machas Srok editor, Khieu Kahnarith told DAP News Cambodia on Monday that “It is a personal story of Hang Chakra himself.” He declined to comment further on Hang Chakra’s case, referring questions to Deputy Cambodian Prime Minister Sok An, the man who filed the original compliant against Hang Chakra.

Chea Mony showed his appreciation Hun Sen’s dropping of the lawsuit against him. He said he still has concerns over the Government’s investigation of the his brother’s death. He also raised queries over the independence of the Cambodia legal system.

“The premier’s policy is very good, but some of his officials are very bad who always give wrong and bad reports and misinformation to him,” he claimed. “If all officials followed the premier’s policy, our country would gain support from the international community.”

Koul Pahna, COMFREL director, on Monday said that when Chea Mony’s angry remarks should be seen as a serious offense.

“Withdrawal the filed complaint … is a very good … but the government should check and investigate other stories like Hang Chakra’s case,” said Koul Pahna. “The Government thinks that it is not good as many stories took place related to this case.”

Koul Pahna claimed that the premier’s actions could be a lesson for fellow Government officials to follow.

Chear Vannath, a Cambodian analyst, also appreciated the premier’s ruling to withdraw the filing complaint from Chea Mony. “We applaud it—it is a good decision as the Cambodian defamation law has to be implemented.”

“While we do not have good mechanism, we cannot reduce the filed complaints related to defamation,” she added.

However, NGOs called on the Government release Hang Chakra and reverse the decisions in other high profile cases.

“Filing complaint is not benefits, it affects both government and NGOs,” Ou Virak told DAP News Cambodia. “We should be together to build and develop the nation,” he claimed.

“It is a personal story and case that I cannot say as it is related to personal decision, if it the speeches affects them, they will react,” Khieu Kahnarith said of the other high profile cases of defamation.

The Human Rights Center in Cambodian issued a statement over the premier’s decision.

“The Cambodian Center for Human Right (CCHR) welcomes the decision by the Royal Government of Cambodia to refrain from taking legal action against Chea Mony, the president of the Free Trade Union of Workers in the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC),” said the statement.

“This reversal is a positive sign for freedom of expression in Cambodia and represents tolerance and maturity on behalf of the RGC. The CCHR commends the RGC and Prime Minister Hun Sen and is hopeful that this decision reflects a new approach to freedom of expression and democratization in Cambodia,” the statement added.

The Cambodia Daily article headlined “Gov’t Seek Lawsuit Against Union Leader (August 31, 2009) quoted the Royal Government of Cambodia spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanhrith as stating that the RGC has dropped its plans to file a complaint against Chea Mony. This reversal follows a request by Prime Minister Hun Sen to call off the lawsuit. The union leader had said that RGC officials could have been involved in the assassination of his older brother and former FTUWC president Chea Vichea.