PHNOM PENH: Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the United Nations Office has denied the statements of the three Special Rapporteurs regarding the "National Internet Gateway" and said the establishment of the National Internet Gateway is in accordance with the principles of law, necessity and proportion. the creation of the NIG adheres to the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality, and contributes to the realization of Cambodia’s vibrant digitalization, a driving force to growth and development.

In a statement from the UN panel of experts, Mr. Vitit Muntarbhorn Ms. Irene Khan and Mary Lawlor urged the Cambodian authorities to suspend plans to implement the sub-decree on the "Internet Gateway", claiming that it was restrictive and undermined Cambodia's privacy and democratic freedoms.

The Cambodian ambassador to the United Nations Permanent Mission to the United Nations, AN Sokkhoeurn, told EAC News that the allegations made by the UN Special Rapporteur biased and baseless accusations.

"We need this law to be equally competitive and to help prevent the crime such as online gambling and pornographic websites," he said.

Sub-decree on "Internet Gateway" prepared by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications in 2021 and scheduled to enter into force on 16 February 2022.

In a statement issued on February 1 in Geneva, the Permanent Mission emphasizes that the enactment of the Internet Gateway Law is not new in the world, and that its purpose is to facilitate and regulate Internet connectivity, strengthen national security, tax collection , and to help maintain social order and protect national culture. It is in line with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in which certain restrictions provided by law may apply if they are necessary “for respect of the rights or reputation of others, and for the protection of national security or of public order or of public health or morals.”

Permanent Mission Wrote: "No provision in the NIG sub-decree authorizes collection of consumers’ data or individual surveillance. Any handling of connection and technical operation is secure and encrypted in accordance with international standards. To safeguard people’s right to privacy, a Law on Personal Data Protection will be crafted and consulted with wide-ranging stakeholders."

The permanent mission responded to the three UN rapporteurs to divert attention to a worrying trend of human rights challenges, namely hate speech, slander, disinformation, incitement, including vaccines discrimination, and provocation to sedition under the guise of freedom of expression rather than baseless accusations and interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states.