Report: Kingdom sees internet freedom shrink in 2017
Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 12:16 pm
24 November 2017
- Despite gains in internet accessibility in Cambodia, the Kingdom is becoming increasingly restrictive in terms of freedom of expression online, according to a new report.
The Freedom on the Net report, published by Freedom House last week, finds that in Cambodia, “Internet freedom deteriorated in 2017, with prison sentences and new arrests for online speech and technical attacks on activists and journalists.” “Criminal charges in relation to Facebook posts, relatively uncommon just two years ago, appear to be increasing in advance of 2018 elections,” the authors write.
The report lists various cases targeted against opposition and civil society members, and highlights that no case involved government members.
Naly Pilorge, of rights group Licadho, said there had been a significant increase in criminal cases against Facebook users, particularly since last year. “There has been a number of [Facebook] users . . . who have been arrested, charged and sent to prisons for posting opinions without independent investigations or any indications a crime has been committed,” she said.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/k ... hrink-2017
- Despite gains in internet accessibility in Cambodia, the Kingdom is becoming increasingly restrictive in terms of freedom of expression online, according to a new report.
The Freedom on the Net report, published by Freedom House last week, finds that in Cambodia, “Internet freedom deteriorated in 2017, with prison sentences and new arrests for online speech and technical attacks on activists and journalists.” “Criminal charges in relation to Facebook posts, relatively uncommon just two years ago, appear to be increasing in advance of 2018 elections,” the authors write.
The report lists various cases targeted against opposition and civil society members, and highlights that no case involved government members.
Naly Pilorge, of rights group Licadho, said there had been a significant increase in criminal cases against Facebook users, particularly since last year. “There has been a number of [Facebook] users . . . who have been arrested, charged and sent to prisons for posting opinions without independent investigations or any indications a crime has been committed,” she said.
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/k ... hrink-2017