PHNOM PENH: Senate president Hun Sen has directed the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, and specifically the National Council for Women, to act as plaintiffs in lawsuits against individuals who use abusive language that devalues women and Khmer social ethics.
During a meeting with a delegation from the council on Friday (Aug 14), Hun Sen noted that an unnamed woman had recently used foul language to insult government institutions and civil servants.
He mentioned that authorities had already summoned the woman and her husband to submit a formal letter of apology.
He also highlighted the case of a woman identified as Chenda Sovannary, who reportedly insulted a soldier during a dispute over a mobile phone purchase.
“Why insult a soldier over a mere phone issue? Take them to the court. We cannot ignore this. Why would a woman insult someone like that? Not just a soldier — even a construction worker should not be insulted in such a manner,” he said.
He also urged the courts to carefully review cases filed against “individuals who destroy social dignity”.
Hun Sen argued that taking action to uphold the values of women and social morality should not be viewed as an act of authoritarianism, pointing out that even social media companies have their own ethical guidelines and community standards.
“From now on, please monitor this closely. There should be a team to track these cases — the cursing and insults on Facebook,” he added.
The Senate president instructed the National Council for Women to collaborate with relevant ministries — including the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, and the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications — to establish a mechanism for protecting the dignity and values of Khmer women.
He reiterated that the measures are not intended to restrict rights but are necessary to safeguard national dignity. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
