Re****ter flees Cambodia after death threat
New York, May 1, 2008=97The Committee to Protect Journalists is gravely
concerned about the latest in a series of anonymous threats received
by Radio Free Asia (RFA) investigative re****ter Lem Pichpisey in
Cambodia.
On April 10, Pichpisey=92s 11-year-old daughter found six AK-47 rifle
bullets placed neatly in a row in front of his family=92s house in
western Battambang province. According to RFA Senior Editor Daniel
Southerland, such a warning could be construed as a death threat in a
Cambodian context. Pichpisey was investigating a drug trafficking case
involving a casino, a high-ranking police officer, and the murder of a
drug suspect in the western border town of Poi Pet, according to
Southerland.
The next day, Pichpisey and his family fled Battambang for the
capital, Phnom Penh, where he had worked in RFA=92s offices as an
editor. Due to continued concerns for his personal safety, Pichpisey
recently fled Cambodia and is now in an undisclosed country.
=93We call upon Prime Minister Hun Sen to immediately launch an
independent inquiry into the threats made against Radio Free Asia
re****ter Lem Pichpisey,=94 said Bob Dietz, CPJ=92s Asia program
coordinator. =93In recent years, Cambodia has repeatedly claimed that it
respects and protects press freedom. Now it must back those words with
actions.=94
Pichpisey often tackles tough stories, including recent hard-hitting
re****ts on illegal logging, judicial corruption, police abuses, and
politically charged land disputes. He was forced to flee Cambodia for
Thailand twice in 2007 after receiving death threats related to his
re****ts on illegal logging.
In January and February, Pichpisey received anonymous text messages on
his cell phone warning him to =93watch out,=94 with requests to meet the
message senders at different hotels in Battambang province. He did not
go to any of the proposed meetings, according to RFA editor
Southerland.
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