There is “no chance” one of Cambodia’s last independent media outlets will be allowed to reopen, leader Hun Sen said Tuesday, after officials hit back at Western governments’ concerns over press freedoms ahead of national elections.
Online Khmer- and English-language outlet Voice of Democracy (VOD) stopped broadcasting on Monday. Prime Minister Hun Sen had ordered its licence revoked over what he said was an erroneous report about his eldest son.
Late Monday night the United States said it was “deeply concerned” by the “abrupt” closure of the broadcaster, adding to a chorus of criticism from rights groups and western missions over Phnom Penh’s actions.
“Foreigners have no right to order us to do this or that to fulfil their wishes because this is our internal affairs,” Hun Sen wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday afternoon, reiterating the media outlet “has no chance to reopen”.
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