Cambodia Appeals To Interpol Over Facebook 'slur' On Pm's Wife

[Flashermac]

PHNOM PENH - Cambodian police have appealed for Interpol's help to arrest a Facebook user who allegedly posted a doctored photo of Prime Minister Hun Sen's wife to damage her "honour and dignity", a government official said Tuesday.

 

It is the latest attempt to control social media in the kingdom, despite efforts by Hun Sen to ramp up his own online persona as he bids to extend a 31-year hold on power.

 

The photo, which briefly went viral before the Facebook account was apparently taken down, showed a holidaying Hun Sen in casual clothes posing with his grandchildren and wife Bun Rany.

 

She is seen smiling, in sunglasses and three-quarter length trousers, but is standing with her legs apart.

 

That stance is considered deeply inappropriate in conservative Cambodia, where women are expected to pose demurely with their legs together.

 

Authorities say the holiday snap was taken from Hun Sen’s Facebook page, doctored and shared to denigrate Bun Rany by another user "Haknuman Leung".

 

"The act damages the honour and dignity of the First Lady of a nation," General Khieu Sopheak, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, told AFP.

 

Police have identified the poster as a Cambodian "who lives overseas" and have issued an arrest warrant, he added.

 

"We are working with Interpol to issue a Red Notice for the person," he said.

 

That notice is the highest alert to Interpol member states to find and arrest a suspect, with a view to extradition, and is normally reserved for serious criminals.

 

An enraged Hun Sen blamed opposition "extremists" for the photo.

 

The incident comes as Hun Sen belatedly embraces social media to court votes from the kingdom’s youth, many of whom support the opposition.

 

The premier recently launched a mobile app and a website in addition to his Facebook page -- which has harvested nearly two million ’likes’ since September.

 

While Hun Sen has said he is open to constructive criticism, he has warned Facebook users who insult him that they can be easily traced.

 

A young man has been charged with issuing death threats to the premier in a Facebook post on Hun Sen’s page.

 

Last year, a 25-year-old student was also arrested over an alleged Facebook post calling for a "colour revolution" in the country.

 

 

http://www.nationmul...n-30277216.html

[Coss]

"We are working with Interpol to issue a Red Notice"

 

I guess a lesson about the United Nation's recognition of 'Freedom of Speech' could be in order.

[Flashermac]

Yeah, especially with Saudi Arabia heading the Human Rights Council.

[jitagawn]

WTF

[YimSiam]

While I wouldn't want to have a Red Notice issued against me, and hope that is never the case, it's not such an unusual thing - here's the Interpol Red Notice page for Cambodian nationals: http://www.interpol.int/notice/search/wanted

 

Those interested can note that it's pretty small stuff gets you on there - just means there's arrest warrant, and someone thinks you've flown the country. Theft, possession of fake currency, breach of trust, death threats are all on there with Cambos - not so serious by Phnom Penh standards, I think! Also, there's even a case of a Khmer guy wanted for 'corruption by a public official' - is that even illegal there?! I thought that was kind of the point of joining that gov, but what do I know...