The proposal has stoked fears of censorship in Cambodia, where curbs to press freedom have increased in recent years. Many believe the new law could target those critical of the government.
The crackdown on media in Cambodia may intensify with the proposal of a new law targeting creators and publishers of "fake news," which comes just weeks after Malaysia approved an "anti-fake news" law that could see offenders jailed for up to 10 years.
The suggestion to outlaw so-called fake news arose when Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen met with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Xuân Phúc last week. According to the Phnom Penh Post, the two leaders discussed how to deal with supposedly inaccurate news. Following the meeting, a spokesperson for Cambodia's ruling party announced the potential changes, explaining that the law, if enacted, would apply "to some media in which they use the wrong information or fake news."
Although it's unclear if Cambodia will really implement an "anti-fake news" law, the fact it's being considered comes as no surprise. The Cambodian government regularly accuses the media of spreading "fake news," particularly reporting that is critical of government policies or government institutions. Last month, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications called for a fight against "fake news" and in January, Hun Sen said that media outlets considered producers of "fake news" by the government are guilty of violating the law.
Advocates of press freedom fear that an anti-fake news law could result in a clampdown on reporting that take issue with Hun Sen's government. The 65-year old Cambodian prime minister has been ruling the country since 1985 and is up for another election in late July – one that he is likely to win after his main competitor, the Cambodian National Rescue Party, was dissolved by the Supreme Court last year.
"We hope that Cambodia won't follow the example of Malaysia," said Edgardo Legaspi, executive director of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance, an organization that campaigns for press freedom in Southeast Asia. "This could be seen as an attempt from the government to have better control of the media. It will give the government more ammunition against critical reporting,"
(Published by DW, April 10, 2018)