Cambodia Daily closed: Note in support of freedom of expression in Cambodia
On 4 September 2017, the Cambodia Daily announced its closure after 24 years of independent journalism. The announcement came in the wake of government threats of closure and asset confiscation over allegedly unpaid taxes since 2007, amounting to US $6.3 million. The paper insists that the tax dispute is politically motivated, and has called for proper audits and good faith negotiations. Human Rights Watch claims that the tax bill was based on false financial assumptions and rushed enforcement that depart from standard procedures.
With this closure, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre has lost a key resource in Cambodia. The Daily has always stood out for its reporting on human rights issues, which we have regularly referred to on our website, Weekly Updates, and letters to companies. Its reporting has been instrumental in raising international awareness on human rights issues in Cambodia; it has fostered healthy debate, and prompted or informed positive action by companies. By covering stories often overlooked by mainstream media outlets – including stories on land disputes, environmental degradation, corruption, access to justice, and workers’ struggles – the Daily served as a platform for community and workers’ voices.
Photo: The last cover page of the Cambodia Daily.
The closure of the Cambodia Daily does not appear to be an isolated event. In recent weeks, the government has suspended the operations of over a dozen independent radio stations. The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC), and the Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) have also been warned of potential back tax issues.
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre is deeply concerned about this loss of independent reporting on human rights, especially given Cambodia's importance in international supply chains for apparel and natural resources. Meanwhile, we will seek new sources of human rights updates, and find alternative ways to continue to serve as an information platform for Cambodian organizations, workers, and communities.
Links to related stories:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/03/world/asia/cambodia-daily-newspaper.html?mcubz=1
https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/09/02/cambodia-leading-paper-threatened-closure
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/09/times-cambodia-daily-shuts-24-years-170904125752605.html
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/closures-08242017163725.html
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/after-cambodia-dailys-6m-bill-tax-authority-targets-rfa-voa
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cnrp-may-seek-clarity-radio-station-closures
http://www.freshnewsasia.com/index.php/en/localnews/64765-cambodia-daily-7.html
(This is in Khmer, related to the complaints against the Daily owners. It contains official copies of the complaints.)