Cambodia blocks some independent media sites – advocacy group

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) – Cambodia blocked sites of some independent media on Friday, a human rights group has announced two days before the legislative elections Hun Sen has almost no challenge to his 33-year rule

Reuters could not contact a government spokesman for comment.

Cambodian independent media are under increasing pressure from Hun Sen and his allies before the vote.

The purchase of Phnom Penh Post, an English-language daily, by a Malaysian whose public relations firm announces Hun Sen as a customer, has been criticized as a "disaster" for the freedom of the media before the elections. 19659003] This follows the closure of Cambodia Daily, another English language newspaper, after the government ordered it to pay millions of dollars in tax arrears or to face the closure. About 30 radio stations were closed last year.

"For several hours it has been confirmed that several internet providers … and mobile companies … are actively blocking the websites of independent online radio stations including Radio Free Asia (RFA), Voice of America (VOA) and Voices of Democracy (VOD) as well as English newspaper websites, "said Naly Pilorge of the Licadho Human Rights Group in Cambodia

" This is the first censorship of the site since the publication of, "she added, referring to May government directives to block or close websites and social media pages containing content" considered an incentive "or a threat to national security.

Reuters could not open Kith Meng, CEO of Mobitel, Cambodia's leading mobile phone network provider, declined to comment when he was contacted by Reuters by Reuters.

"We are outraged that private companies are blocking access to some media while charging full price for their services," said Naly Pilorge. "This is neither a good deal nor in line with international standards and rights."

The United Nations and Western countries criticized the election as fundamentally flawed after the Supreme Court dissolved the Cambodia National Rescue Party's (CNRP) main opposition on charges of plotting to overthrow the government . Its leader, Kem Sokha, was imprisoned for treason.

The party, which only lost the 2013 elections, denied the prosecution and most of the CNRP leaders fled abroad, leaving no major contender to the Hun Sen party. Friday's Hun Sen went down the street in a last day of noisy election campaign

Of the 19 other parties standing on Sunday, none are highly critical of Hun Sen or the government. In 1965, small parties won less than seven percent of the vote.

(Report by Prak Chan Thul, Amy Sawitta Lefevre, William Maclean)

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