One journalist killed and another summoned to court

By Khmerization
Source: DAP News and RFA

A 55 year-old journalist was killed when a truck transporting timbers illegally overrun his motorcycle, reports Deum Ampil. Another journalist has been summoned to court for spreading disinformation and for publishing defamatory information, reports Radio Free Asia.

55 year-old Sem Sophal, a reporter for "Kar Pitt" (Truth) newspaper was killed on 18th March when a truck he was chasing rammed his motorcycle. Sources said that Sem Sophal was taking a deputy commander of military police of Sambor district of Kampong Chhnang province to see illegal transportations of timbers. When they spotted three trucks illegally transporting the timbers they gave chase and one of the truck rammed their motrcycle, killing the journalist instantly, while the commander of the military police sustained minor injuries.

Mr. Bun Tha, editor-in-chief of Khmer Amatak (Immortal Khmer) newspaper has been summoned to court for disinformation and defamation. He was sued by Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary of State of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Rector of University of Cambodia, for publishing article exposing corruption within the University of Cambodia. In October 2009, Mr. Bun Tha had taken complaints from students from the University of Cambodia who alleged that the university charged them between 20,000-25,000 riels ($4-$5.50) for applications to sit for the test to receive sholarships to study at the university.

While defamation is a civil case, disinformation is a criminal case which carries a jail term. Two journalists, Hang Chakra, eidotr of Khmer Machas Srok, and Ros Sokheth, contributor for the English-language South East Asia Globe magazine, had been jailed between one to one and half year each for defamation and disinformation.