The Ministry of Information will conduct training seminars for journalists and information department officials around the country to acquaint them with the Press Law and related statutes and ensure compliance.

Sok Prasidh, chairman of the ministry’s legislation committee, announced that a team of attorneys at the ministry had been assigned to prepare a strategic plan to offer instructional sessions for members of the media as well as municipal and provincial officials.

The forums will introduce regulations with a wide range of applications including privacy law, criminal and civil law, press freedom and journalistic standards. The programme intends to educate journalists and officials about problems that can arise under the Press Law and how to prevent them, Prasidh explained.

“I support the lawyers at the ministry who have all committed to protecting the public’s common interest. They are facilitating this programme to serve officials under the ministry and people vulnerable to any injustice,” he said.

Prasidh compared journalists to a mirror reflecting society. But problems arise when reporters’ work violates laws or social customs, he said, making it imperative to train members of the media with regard to pertinent rules so that they would clearly understand and abide by them.

Hopefully, he added, reporters will avoid being sued when fulfilling their roles professionally and properly, and in such an event, they would be entitled to legal representation under the law.

On recommendation of information minister Khieu Kanharith, the working group of attorneys was established on September 11, comprising nine volunteer members.

Phan Samphos, head of the working group, told The Post they would cooperate with leaders at the ministry on law enforcement and provide legal counselling to journalists.

“We must train reporters because, currently, some are not yet well informed about the Press Law. They are not well informed about their roles and duties and how to perform them. Although reporters are meant to reflect the community, sometimes they lose their professional impartiality and go beyond the boundary of the law. This can be problematic for society,” she said.

Samphos added that according to the strategic plan, training sessions would be held monthly or quarterly in each province by local lawyers.

Bun Tha, reporter for BTV in Preah Sihanouk province, applauded the plan, saying the programme could help journalists better understand relevant laws.

“This training is very important. When the rule of law is fundamental and everyone abides by the law, society improves. Reporters will learn about their roles and duties. This will help to review certain points that reporters might forget,” he said.