H.E. Phos Sovann, Delegate of the Royal Government in charge of Director General of General Department of Information and Broadcasting, said on Friday that Reporters Without Borders (RSF) should not prejudge the ministry’s newly-established Monitoring Commission and urged this organisation to wait and see the work performance and achievements.

H.E. Phos Sovann, also Permanent Vice-Chairman of Journalistic Ethics Implementation and Monitoring Commission, made the comment in response to the RSF’s shock and concerns over the practical capacity of the Commission.

According to an article posted by Radio France Internationale (RFI), RSF on Aug, 12 came out in shock and concerns after Cambodia’s Ministry of Information has set up a monitoring commission. This organisation also considered the establishment of this commission to be lack of independence, transparency and accountability, adding that it was created as a new mechanism to monitor and keep eyes on journalists in Cambodia.

The Ministry of Information of Cambodia issued a proclamation dated Aug. 2, 2021 to set up a commission in its attempt to monitor, evaluate and praise the implementation of journalistic ethics. This commission is responsible for chairing the meeting on arrangement-and-necessity basis to examine the potential reports and complaints from the general public or organisations, to resolve complaints related to journalistic ethics between journalists, media units with individuals or ministries, institutions and to observe their performances as well.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press