Cambodian cabinet moves to adopt lese majeste laws

>> PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s cabinet on Friday endorsed an amendment to the criminal code making insulting the king a criminal offence punishable by a fine and up to five years in prison.

After the endorsement, the change must go to both houses of Parliament for approval.

The government said the amendment is needed to protect the honour and reputation of the monarch.

King Norodom Sihamoni, 64, is a constitutional monarch who maintains a low profile and plays a minimal role in public affairs, while Prime Minister Hun Sen exercises almost absolute control over politics.

Cambodia’s Constitution declares that the king is inviolable but contains no statute criminalising criticism.

The rights group International Commission of Jurists condemned the Cabinet’s approval of lese majeste legislation, saying in a statement that it “appears to be a further attempt by the government to weaponise the country’s legislation against its perceived opponents.’’

“The right to freedom of expression is protected under international law and should never be subject to criminal penalties, let alone imprisonment, which is a manifestly disproportionate penalty for the exercise of the fundamental right to free expression,’’ it said.

Mr Hun Sen has had a complicated relationship with the monarchy. King Sihamoni’s late father, King Norodom Sihanouk, was the dominant figure in Cambodian politics for several decades, and he and Mr Hun Sen were rivals for power after the genocidal rule of the communist Khmer Rouge in the 1970s.

However, King Sihamoni’s passive attitude toward politics has given rise to some criticism in recent years as Mr Hun Sen — who technically needs King Sihamoni to approve new laws — has launched harsh crackdowns on his opponents.