Articles by Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA)
Editor, in exile due to death threats over critical article, granted asylum in Thailand
(SEAPA/IFEX) – You Saravuth, the former editor of local bi-weekly newspaper “Sralanh Khmer” (“Love Khmer”), has been granted asylum in Thailand by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said the newspaper’s current editor, Thach Keth, on 25 August 2006. Reports from Cambodia said Saravuth fled the country on 22 July after he received death […]
New law will restrict Members of Parliament from expressing opinions freely
(SEAPA/IFEX) – On 30 August 2006, the Cambodian National Assembly adopted a law that will restrict its members from expressing opinions freely during the exercise of their duty. Article 5 of the Statute on the Ethics of Members of Parliament stipulates that they can be prosecuted for comments that “violate an individual’s dignity, social customs, […]
Prime minister and his father sue “Far Eastern Economic Review” for libel
(SEAPA/IFEX) – Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his father, former premier turned Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, are suing the “Far Eastern Economic Review” (FEER) for libel, reports Reuters. The two Lees filed the suit against “FEER” publisher, the Hong Kong-based Review Publishing Company Ltd, and editor Hugo Restall on 22 August 2006, over […]
Following request for review by media group, court finds controversial Printing Act “constitutional”
(SEAPA/IFEX) – Thailand’s Constitutional Court has ruled that an article in the 1941 Printing Act is constitutional, rejecting arguments from media groups that the challenged provision undermines free speech and press freedom guarantees that are also enshrined in the national charter. The court’s decision was taken upon a request for judicial review by Thailand’s Criminal […]
Study shows increase in government censorship of Internet
(SEAPA/IFEX) – The following is a SEAPA press release: Vietnam filtering, monitoring Internet more, says study The Open Net Initiative (ONI), in a recently released study on Vietnam, is reporting an increase in Internet censorship in the country. The research finds that Vietnamese officials are particularly bent on filtering content that questions the country’s one-party […]
Police investigate online daily for alleged libel
(SEAPA/IFEX) – The Kuala Lumpur-based Centre for Independent Journalism is concerned over the police visit to the office of the independent web-based daily, “Malaysiakini”, on 8 August 2006. The police claim “Malaysiakini” has defamed them by alleging police involvement in a pepper-spray attack on former premier Mahathir Mohamad. Four police officers, including one from the […]
Critical television talkshow cancelled after prime minister’s warning
(SEAPA/IFEX) – A popular television station in Cambodia was forced to pull out a current affairs programme after Prime Minister Hun Sen accused the station concerned, Cambodian Television Network (CTN), of damaging the nation’s reputation by airing the show. The morning programme, called “Cambodia Today”, provides in-depth analyses on various issues affecting the lives of […]
Government tightens control over foreign publications
(SEAPA/IFEX) – Singapore appears to be tightening control mechanisms over foreign publications operating in the city-state, ahead of an upcoming International Monetary Fund (IMF)-World Bank (WB) meeting in September 2006. The “Far Eastern Economic Review” (FEER) and four other foreign newspapers and magazines – the “International Herald Tribune”, the “Financial Times”, “TIME Magazine”, and “Newsweek” […]