Privacy in media in Cambodia still controversial, experts say

Privacy in media in Cambodia still controversial, experts say


By Chhorng Long Heng

Privacy in reporting and media system in Cambodia has continued to be a controversial issues for journalists in writing their news and photo publishing on media after the definition of the public figures and their privacies have not interpreted definitely in condition of the term, and privacy versus public interest, the experts said in seminar in Phnom Penh on July 16, that is organized by the club of Cambodian journalists in cooperation with Konrad Adenauer Foundation of Germany here.

Pen Samithy, president of the club of Cambodian Journalists said that according to his experience more than two decades in Cambodian media, privacy is still controversial issues for us as journalists because we have different views on that issues and sometimes these issues created conflicts between the journalists and honor of a person that we reported.
“Reporting about Privacy is good condition when the privacy of a person allowed us to report about their names and privacy itself to avoid the conflicts,” Pen said, adding we have to be balance between the privacy versus public interests in reporting news because sometimes, the newspapers sold dearly because we revealed the identity of that person.

“We also need to be balance between the moralities and decency in our culture in reporting about privacy of a person,” he emphasized. He highlighted that some media reported about the family that a husband has three wives and they lived together and the report revealed their names and positions and living conditions of the families but the article is popular for readers and it gained the benefits for media. But that is their privacy only but media published it on the magazines. The media will be ok if that family does not file the complaints against media.

“We have to promote our professional to avoid reporting “lie” about privacy of a person and if not so, the journalists will face with law punishment both compensation and criminal code,” he stresses. Our media has different culture with western culture, he noted. He added culture of arresting and penalized when French authorities arrived here, before people gossiped from one to another without punishment or facing with legal issues. The definition of privacy is also not clear for us, he added. He raised an example that in 1990s he also used to have a court complaint after his newspaper published a photo about a governmental soldier hanged the head of a Khmer Rouge soldier. The government’s soldier at that time could not stay at home after he was threatened and sought the vengeance from family Khmer Rouge soldier because of photo. He agreed to compromise with the solider to avoid court complaints. “From that, he also urged the journalists to avoid reporting about photo which could harm victims or using blurred photos on media. And when we reported about sexual abuse or harassment, we should use name’s abbreviation to protect honor of the victims,” he said, adding reporting privacy related to the policy of media in each place itself. But we should have option to publish privacy of a person and protect privacy. Some newspapers like in some countries compared about reporting privacy and court complaints, if they think, they gained benefits higher than court suit and they will publish even they know, they have court issues.
Chang Sinat, Judge of Phnom Penh Court, and Professor of the academy of judicial professionals, said that in Cambodia, Laws on privacy in reporting involved with some legal laws. And the journalists could face legal punishment and compensation about that article that violated other privacy. She said that protection of privacy both private life and living conditions of privacy was said by laws. Even in the international law like universal declaration of human rights also protect the rights from violating honor and fame. Jugde Sinat said media should join to protect honor of reputation of a person in sexual abuse and avoid reporting ugly words. All persons are presumption of innocent before the court sentences. Some articles in laws could punish journalists about using insult words, photos, reporting disinformation. Privacy of a person also should protect by law, she said, adding journalists need to report in balance between public interest and privacy. In journalism law, defamation will punish from 250US dollar to 1,250 US dollars and face correction on articles.
Ms. Rabea Bruaer, representative of Konrad Adenauer Foundation and experienced journalist in western world said under topic of experience in a western country, privacy and media that in European also is controversial issues about reporting privacy. “Privacy in European usually involved in celebrity, fashion model, movie star with drug, princess, prince defense minister and president to chancellor,” she said, adding that some leaders in European have lovers or partners even they have not separated with their wives. Some leaders has partner that is younger than over 34 years,” she said, adding that current media coverage and privacy, media respect privacy of the people keep continuing to consider among us. Sometimes, because of wanting to report about privacy, journalists become the threat of other people’s lives like case of Princess Diana. Privacy is a global matter in present media context,” she noted. ###



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