Sok Kanitha, a prominent media figure and social commentator, has voiced her concerns regarding the recently released "Charter for Professional Journalism" by the Ministry of Information. 

The charter, formalised as a prakas on August 6, aims to elevate ethical standards and practices within the profession, extending its reach across all media platforms, including those managed by content creators and individuals involved in make-money-online (MMO) activities.

The charter was developed with input from 325 journalists and senior members of the ministry. It emphasises the importance of truthfulness, fairness, impartiality and respect for others' rights. 

The document applies not only to professional journalists but also to bloggers, key opinion leaders (KOLs) and other media practitioners, calling for the avoidance of fake news and misinformation while maintaining source confidentiality. 

The charter ensures that registered journalists are entitled to legal, social and health protections.

However, Kanitha, who gained a substantial following through her work on "The Kanitha Show", expressed reservations about certain aspects of the charter. 

She argued that applying the professional code of conduct to non-journalists is contradictory, as ordinary citizens do not receive the same training as professionals. 

"Normal citizens do not get the training like journalists do, this is why there are journalists and there are dentists. Dentists fix people's teeth and journalists disseminate breaking news," she said.

“If the information ministry finds it appropriate for all citizens to follow the professional code of conduct like all journalists, then the onus is on the ministry to pay for the training of every citizen on the trade of journalism, not the citizens,” she told The Post. 

Kanitha also questioned the fairness of applying a charter crafted by journalists for journalists to the broader public, suggesting that if journalists were given a voice in the drafting process, non-journalists should have been consulted as well. 

"It seems if the ministry were to give journalists a voice in this before it was drafted, then why didn't they ask 17 million non-journalists for their say as well?" she asked.

Ministry spokesman Tep Asnarith offered a different perspective at a press conference on August 6. 

He stated that the charter applies to all professionals in the field of information and audio-visual media, including traditional and online journalists, photojournalists, radio and television reporters, publishers and press units. 

He emphasised that to ensure digital broadcasting and social media contribute to promoting access to quality information, it is essential that broadcasting aligns with the law, social ethics, the rights of others and the codes of conduct related to broadcasting and social networks.

"In this context, the charter for professional journalism also serves as a guide to uphold the ethics and social responsibility of non-professional journalists, ensuring information security and promoting the protection of consumer rights in Cambodian society," Asnarith told The Post. 

He added that the ministry has actively encouraged all media practitioners to engage in the process by issuing public announcements and widely disseminating information through state and private media.

Despite these efforts, Kanitha expressed concerns about the charter's expectation that all citizens refrain from posting misinformation, arguing that discerning truth is often complex. 

She stressed that the responsibility for fact-checking should rest with the government, not ordinary citizens. 

"Let citizens post what they want. If there is any inaccuracy, then the onus is on the government to fact-check and provide the true information to the public," she said.

She told The Post that “if there is any information that defames others then let the complainants file a lawsuit. 

“If there is any information that affects the security of others or the nations, then let law enforcement deal with it, etcetera.

“But we cannot ask citizens to post only accurate information when people in general do not know what is accurate or not,” she said.

Asnarith countered these concerns by highlighting the significant participation in the charter's development process, noting that 550 people attended workshops, marking it as an historic event for the country’s media and audio-visual sectors. 

"All input received during the process has been documented carefully and considered comprehensively in preparing this charter for professional journalism," he said.

Kanitha further criticised the charter's prohibition on publishing content that may affect peace, traditions, public order and religious harmony, arguing that such restrictions could stifle necessary societal reform. 

"Prohibiting them from expressing themselves just because it may disturb the peace is damning them to continue to endure the status quo forever," she said.

“Nothing is worse in life than to live in a reality where there are problems, but you are prohibited from even speaking about those problems and you must continue to live in that same reality for the rest of your life. 

“There are a lot of problems in society and that we need to be able to talk about it freely even if it can be inconvenient for some,” she told The Post. 

Reflecting on global events, Kanitha highlighted the importance of allowing public discourse, even on contentious issues, citing the evolution of public opinion regarding the Ukraine war as an example of how open discussions can lead to a better understanding of complex situations. 

"Just imagine that people were not even allowed to discuss the war, or that any content creator that spoke contrary to the 'news' was silenced. Today, a lot of people now know which country is trying to annex another country's land," she said.

However, Asnarith reiterated the ministry's commitment to ensuring all the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, citing Article 41, Article 19 (3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 29 (2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

He concluded that the right to freedom is inseparable from duties and responsibilities, both social and legal.

Kanitha drew parallels between Cambodia's future development and the ideals of the Enlightenment era, which emphasised liberty, equality, human rights and reason. 

Kanitha said Western civilizations did not simply reach the pinnacle of human achievement by chance. It was during the late 17th and 18th centuries that they underwent an Age of Enlightenment, centered around France. 

“This is how France chartered the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen in 1789, which was the first ever of its kind in human history,” she said. 

“Cambodia's path towards becoming a strong nation does not just rest on building infrastructures but on its people being able to comprehend these crucial ideas. 

“The day that we abandon those ideas is the day that we stray from the light to somewhere much darker and dystopian,” Kanitha told The Post.