Phnom Penh, February 13 (AseanAll) — Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has ordered the Ministry of Information to revoke the licence of The Voice of Democracy (VOD) after the latter failed to make a public apology.
Recently, VOD has broadcast a news article alleging that Gen. Hun Manet, the Premier’s eldest son, had been a signatory to a humanitarian donation of US$100,000 to Türkiye（Turkey） hit by earthquake.
Hun Sen said the article misinterpreted the facts and that only the prime minister has the authority to make decisions on foreign aid.
Hun Sen left 72 hours, and then 24 hours for VOD to make a public apology to the Royal Government as well as to Hun Manet.
VOD is a media program run by the Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM). On February 12, CCIM sent a letter to the Prime Minister expressing its regret and asking for his tolerance.
In the evening of the same day, Hun Sen refused to accept the apology and ordered the cancellation of the license of the independent media.
VOD must stop all its broadcasts by 10:00 am, on February 13, wrote the Premier on its official Facebook page on the evening of February 12, 2023.
“Does the words 'regret and tolerance' can replace 'apology'? For me, it is not acceptable," he stressed. “Does its (VOD) clarification intended to put the blame on a government official? Leave it to H.E. Phay Siphan (Minister Delegate Attached to the Prime Minister and Head of the Royal Government Spokesperson Unit) to examine the possibility of filing a lawsuit (against VOD).”
[…] In order not to go too far, I decided not to accept [VOD’s] regret and tolerance instead of apology, which is your dignity. To protect the Royal Government’s honour, I decided to end the issue by ordering the Ministry of Information to revoke the VOD’s licence from now on, and all VOD’s broadcasts must completely end by 10:00 a.m., Feb. 13, 2023,” Hun Sen said.
The Prime Minister also asked Phnom Penh Capital Hall and relevant institutions to protect the order and property of this radio.
“We only stop all its broadcasts, we don’t touch its property,” Hun Sen underlined. “Foreign friends who provide money to this radio, please withdraw the money or help another country. For the staff, please look for other job.”
On the morning of February 13, the Ministry of Information of Cambodia issued a statement and decided to delete the official Vod's broadcast license from February 13, 2023.
