#TrackNigeria: Cambodia on Friday called for action against fake news, saying it is posing threats to peace, democracy and development.
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech-Techo Hun-Sen made the call at the celebration of World Press Freedom Day.
The celebration, held under the theme of the media’s potential role in supporting peace and democracy, was attended by more than 100 media representatives and practitioners in the country.
In a message to mark the day, the prime minister called on journalists to join in fighting against fake news spread by ill-intentioned individuals for their own interest.
The fake news “is posing threats to peace, democracy and development in the whole world,” he said in the message read on the day.
Hun-Sen said the media was importantly contributing to building a society with justice, peace, and development, urging journalists to pay attention to the code of ethics and professionalism.
“In order for the media to further support peace and democracy, all journalists need to make an effort to develop their capacity, be honest to professionalism, be brave to speak the truth and criticise in a constructive manner,” he said.
Speaking at the event, Information Minister Khieu Kanharith echoed Hun-Sen’s call and encouraged journalists to “publish real news in order to diminish the effects of fake news.”
UNESCO’s Representative to Cambodia Sardar Umar-Alam said the UNESCO observatory recorded 99 journalists killed globally in 2018 and a total of 1,307 journalists killed worldwide between 1994 and 2018. (Xinhua/NAN)
