Press release Thursday, March 5
CAMBODIANS ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE TO FIRST PROPOSED ‘CROWDSOURCED’ LAW
According to Ministry of Post and Telecommunication Internet penetration in Cambodia is growing at a rapid pace, increasing by almost 43% from 2013 to 2014, and its potential to play an important role in the country’s social and civic spheres is growing increasingly clear. Still, there is currently no law outlining Cambodians’ rights on the Internet, a troubling shortfall in the face of increased efforts to monitor and control online activity.
Starting Thursday, March 5, Cambodian Internet users will be able to take a historic step toward the protection of their Internet rights by making online contributions to the Great Charter for Cambodian Internet Freedom, a positive-rights legal framework. Via the Wiki-style website www.netlawkh.org, Internet users from across the country will be able to edit and add to the charter, which aims to establish the rights to use the Internet for communication, commerce and civic participation, while also outlining the government’s authority in protecting against Internet-based crime.
A press conference open to the media will be held to mark the website launch, as follows:
Time & Date: 10 – 11 a.m. Thursday, March 5
Venue: Hagar Restaurant & Catering
Address: #44, St. 310, Phnom Penh
Countries such as Brazil and the Philippines have recently drafted landmark Internet laws and charters in similar collaborative processes, which, like the “Free the Net” project, emphasized the input and participation of ordinary citizens. The www.netlawkh.org website will be open for public edits until May 8, 2015. Following the two months of public, online consultations, the resulting draft — the Kingdom’s first piece of crowd-sourced draft legislation — will be presented to members of the National Assembly and to relevant ministries for consideration.
The original text of the Great Charter for Cambodian Internet Freedom was drafted by international Internet rights lawyer and author Mr. Mike Godwin in consultation with Cambodian social media activists, IT businesses, telecommunications companies, students, journalists, bloggers, local NGOs.
This opportunity for Cambodians to participate in drafting of a Great Charter for Cambodian Internet Freedom is supported by:
– Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM)
– Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR)
– Cambodian Youth Network (CYN)
– Freedom House
– Community Legal Education Center (CLEC)
– Sahmakum Teang Tnaut
