UPDATE (Cambodia): Reporter receives death threat after revealing illegal logging in Kompong Thom province

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that on 16 June 2007, a Radio Free Asia reporter, Lem Pichpisey, who is also known by his on-air pseudonym, Lem Piseth, 38, received a death threat through his mobile phone after he reported on the illegal logging activities and massive deforestation in Kompong Thom province. Lem Pichpisey or Lem Piseth, who was investigating the illegal logging in Kompong Thom province before publishing the report, is in hiding on the Thai-Cambodia border. On 8 June 2007, the Minister of Information, Mr. Khieu Kanharith, reportedly issued a warning letter to the Sralanh Khmer newspaper to stop its publication of the Global Witness report on illegal logging. The GW report, released on 1 June 2007, reportedly exposed the involvement of Prime Minister Hun Sen, his relatives and other senior officials in the illegal devastation of Cambodia’s forests. The report itself has been banned in Cambodia, and GW staff have allegedly received blatant threats from Hun Neng, the governor of Kompong Cham province and Prime Minister Hun Sen’s brother (to see more: UA-192-2007).

CASE DETAIL:

On 16 June 2007, while Lem Piseth was on his way to Kampong Speu province, he received a call on his mobile phone from a number he did not recognise, during the call a man spoke harshly to him. The unidentified man on the phone told him that he was very insolent and asked him whether he wanted to die, because he had written and investigated the forestry story. The man on the phone also threatened him, telling him to be careful, and that ‘there will not be enough land to bury him’. The unknown caller then hung up and when Piseth tried calling the number back, the phone number led to a public pay phone, which many people could have used freely by paying 300 to 400 Riel per minute. Piseth was very scared and concerned for his safety, so he immediately fled to the Thailand-Cambodia border where he could find safe shelter.

Mr. Lem Piseth was assigned to investigate the illegal logging activities in Tom Ring and Long forest in Kompong Thom province before the Global Witness report had been published. During his investigation, he found out about a massive illegal logging operation in the area. He found that he was being followed by members of the military, who offer protection for the illegal wood trafficking operation. He immediately went to Phnom Penh city to write a three-page feature about the illegal logging activities for his 7:15 minute sound-bit for a daily broadcast on 12 June 2007. A few days after his broadcast came out, which was similar in content to the Global Witness report, he received the death threat of 16 June 2007.

This is not the first time that journalists and human rights activists in Cambodia have received death threats from unidentified persons, after they have revealed a sensitive report regarding human rights violations, illegal land grabbing, or illegal logging.

In similar cases, on 15 June 2006, editor-in-chief You Saravuth of Sralanh Khmer newspaper fled to the neighbouring country of Thailand after printing an article criticising Hun To, the nephew of prime minister Hun Sen of illegally seizing land in Mondolkiri province. You Saravuth then received death threats, including some from Hun To himself, who summoned him to his house and began legal action against him for “inaccurate news.”

On 2 May 2007, a local journalist named Chim Chenda, who worked for Kampuchea Thmei (New Cambodia), a newspaper company based in Battambang and Banteay Meanchey provinces, allegedly received a death threat in a local restaurant K.O in Battambang province, from an army general named Pol Synoun, who was a chief deputy for the international relations office of the Cambodia-Thailand border. General Pol Synoun allegedly took a pistol out of his pocket while he was forcing Chim Chenda down to his knees, and told Chenda to apologise for calling him “Brother Noun.” Chenda refused to apologise, maintaining that he had not treated the general in a bad manner and that he had done nothing wrong. (See more: UA-152-2007)

On 7 September 2006, 34 year-old Soy Sopheap, a news analyst for CTN TV in Cambodia, received an anonymous letter that threatened to kill him.  Apparently, the letter came from an army general who had been affected by negative press reports, which were analysed and discussed by Soy Sopheap on television. (See more: UA-304-2006)

On another occasion, Chea Vichea, President of the Free Trade Union of Workers, was murdered on 22 January 2004 after receiving a series of death threats. He was shot dead at point blank range on what appeared to be a contract killing while reading a newspaper at a newsstand near the Lanka Pagoda in central Phnom Penh. Witnessed by several bystanders, the unmasked killer fled the scene on a motorbike driven by an accomplice.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

After Global Witness published “Cambodia’s Family Trees” on 1 June 2007, the Cambodian government was quick to crack down on any newspaper or magazine that printed the Global Witness report. The government would also abuse the legal system and threatened litigation to intimidate any party who dared to analyse or report on the GW article.

The Global Witness report revealed the involvement of the Prime Minister’s relatives and other senior officials including the Minister of Agriculture Chan Sarun, Director General of the Forest Administration Ty Sokhun and the President of the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Ky Tech, in illegal logging and governmental corruption in Cambodia. They are reported to be the individuals in control of Cambodia’s most powerful illegal logging syndicate, the Seng Keang Company. (See more: UA-192-2007)

Global Witness has monitored Cambodia’s forests for the past 12 years and was expelled from the country in 2005 after the government became annoyed by its constant criticisms.

To know more about the illegal logging issue in Cambodia, please also refer to the following Global Witness reports: A  Tug of War; Reform of the Forest Crime Monitoring and Reporting; Taking a cut; Corruption, war and forest policy.

The AHRC strongly condemns the death threat made to Mr. Lem Piseth, the Free Asia radio reporter, and we support the protection of freedom of expression and press freedom. We urge the highest level of the Cambodian authorities to immediately investigate the death threat made to Lem Piseth, and to bring the threatening caller to justice.

The death threat made to Mr. Lem Piseth damages his freedom of expression and freedom of the press which is guaranteed by Article 41 of the Constitution of Cambodia, which states: “Khmer citizens shall have freedom of expression, press, publication and assembly. No one shall exercise this right to infringe upon the rights of others, to affect the good traditions of the society, to violate public law and order and national security.”

We also urge the Cambodia government conduct a serious investigation into the Minister of Agriculture, Chan Sarun, Director General of the Forest Administration, Ty Sokhun and the President of the Bar Association of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Ky Tech, in dealings of illegal logging as specified in the GW report.

We also urge the Cambodian authorities to investigate into General Hing Bun Heang, Brigade 70 Brigadier General Hak Mao, logging syndicate leaders Dy Chouch, Seng Keang, Khun Thong and Seng Kok Heang who are arbitrarily destroying the Long and Tom Ring forest in Kompong Thom province, as it may be related to the death threat made to Mr. Lem Piseth.

The death threat also violates Cambodia’s treaty obligation under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, particularly Article 19(1) which protects the media’s freedom to hold opinions; and Article 19(2) which guarantees freedom of expression, including freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds.

So far, we have never seen any kind of investigation into the numerous death threats that have been made to journalists, human rights activists, and union leaders in Cambodia. Extra-judicial killings and the common practice of impunity is still increasing in Cambodia.

The AHRC also urges donor governments, UN agencies, international aid agencies and the international human rights community to work with the Cambodian government and courts to end this culture of death threats which works against the freedom of expression and press.

SUGGESTED ACTION: 
Please write to the authorities listed below to express your concern about this case and urge them to prosecute the unidentified person who threatened Mr. Lem Piseth. The threat was strongly intimidating not only to Mr. Piseth, but also to other media outlets, and it infringed upon their exercise of freedom of expression, press freedom and freedom of information.

 

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