A 53-year-old woman was charged with incitement to disturb social security after making a comment on Facebook criticizing the demarcation border post between Cambodia and Vietnam. She also wrote that “Yuon”, a colloquial word referring to Vietnamese people, have entered Khmer territory and “ruled for a long time”.
Phnom Phnom Municipal Court spokesperson Y Rin confirmed that the investigating judge decided to charge her with incitement, and was placed in pretrial detention in Prey Sar prison on Monday.
On Sunday, Facebook account user Hou Run Eng left a comment on Senate president Hun Sen’s Facebook page regarding the border post and that Yuon(s) have ruled for a long time, and “they“ accused Khmer people of “being the enemies” by allowing Khmer leaders to kill or imprison them.
An arrest warrant was issued on the same day and she was taken in by Kampong Cham provincial police and brought to Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
National Police spokesperson Chhay Kim Khoeun told CamboJA News that authorities detained Hou Run Eng based on the court’s ruling and that other matters were decided by the court.
“We follow the [arrest] warrant [which requires] the police to make an arrest. If you want to know anything else, ask the court that issued the warrant,” he said, declining to comment further.
Although Hou Run Eng posted an apology to Hun Sen, saying that she was “uneducated and not literate” using Facebook, Hun Sen responded by ordering the judicial police to take action against her.
“Please find this person and take legal action because it is not freedom of expression,” Hun Sen wrote. He also told foreigners who spoke about anti-racism, and extremist groups to view the issue, and not to “yell” violation of human rights when they have been imprisoned.
“No exceptions should be made for such a person, because [while] the right to freedom of expression is respected, slandering cannot be tolerated,” he added.
According to the National Authority For Border Affairs, Cambodia-Vietnam have completed about 84% of the land border demarcation, with work on another 16% was ongoing with both parties’ joint resolution.
In August, scores of activists were arrested after a Telegram group with thousands of members was set up. The group allegedly discussed organizing gatherings and peaceful marches to protest against the Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area agreement.
Human Rights Watch stated that 94 people were arrested, with at least 59 charged, placed under arrest or in pretrial detention.
On September 3, the Interior Ministry stated that under the pretext of peaceful demonstration, extremist opposition groups abroad designated August 18, 2024 to “overthrow the legitimate government”. The authorities implemented measures to prevent 188 suspects from entering Phnom Penh by “explaining, educating and allowing them to return home”, with nine people being detained.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Neth Pheaktra and chairman of the coordinating team for visits to the Northeast zone, posted that the first visit on September 7, 2024 garnered a lot of attention from the public.
Separately, Candlelight Party secretary-general Ly Sothearayuth urged the government to expand the space for freedom of expression.
“For me, [this is a] democratic society because [when] citizens are concerned, they express their opinion. So, people who are exercising their freedom of expression should be heard and not punished or fined,” he said.
(Additional reporting by Khuon Narim)
