PHNOM PENH: The Cambodian government is proposing plans to monitor, disseminate, educate and take action against those who spread and share pornographic pictures or videos on social media.
Its Women’s Affairs Ministry has formed an interministerial working group to handle the issue and it follows Prime Minister Hun Sen’s move to denounce online sellers who use women dressed in revealing clothes in livestream videos to attract viewers.
However, the proposal has drawn flak from the public, who said it would result in stifling women’s rights and freedom.
The ministry’s Information Department deputy director, Pen Kunthea, said the ministry and relevant bodies had discussed ways to stop online sellers from using pornographic imagery.
She said the discussion had led to the establishment of a working group comprising Women’s Affairs, Information, Posts and Telecommunications, Interior, and Culture and Fine Arts Ministries.
“We have formed a working group to examine problems concerning provocative pictures online.
“We want to monitor anything similar that affects our society, culture, traditions, customs and women’s values.”
According to the Phnom Penh Post, Kunthea said police’s help would be sought to educate women, who displayed cleavage online, on appropriateness.
She said should they fail to follow police’s recommendations, the law would be enforced against them.
Culture and Fine Arts Ministry’s spokesman Long Bunna Sireyvath said the working group would help maintain social order.
“We want to maintain Khmer women’s values.
“The actions of such sellers devalue women and make men do bad things.”
However, Bunn Rachana, executive director of women’s rights organisation Klahaan, said restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and the expression of women’s bodies would not help society in its development.
She said it would prohibit women from wearing certain clothes, which would remove their right to choose what they wanted to wear.
“If the group is formed to restrict women’s freedom, then I don’t think it should be formed.
“If the group is formed to educate, spread, promote and boost women’s rights, it is a necessary thing.”
The Women’s Affairs Ministry had said the proposal met with enthusiasm from the public because people wanted to stop the sharing of pornographic pictures on social media.
It said the measures were aimed at a small number of online sellers who used pornographic pictures that contradicted the laws, and were not aimed at restricting the rights and freedom of Khmer women.