On July 23, Preah Sihanouk Provincial Court has granted bail to Hun Sokha, the publisher of Facebook-based CPNTV who also the president of the Club of Independent Journalists, and Keo Ratana, a reporter for TN TV Online. The pair were arrested July 19 as they covered an ongoing land dispute in Sihanoukville’s Bei commune. They were accused of incitement after they took video footage of the dispute.
The investigating judge granted the pair bail with court supervision after questioning them on the evening of Tuesday, July 23. The five other people who were arrested with the journalists were sent to Preah Sihanouk Provincial Prison.
The IFJ said: “While we welcome the release on Hun and Keo, we reiterate calls to the Cambodian authorities to immediately drop the charges against the pair, who were simply doing their jobs. Legal intimidation cannot be used to suppress independent reporting. We demand the Cambodian authorities to ensure the safety of journalist and respect journalists’ rights.”