PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA —
The Cambodian government issued a directive to establish a National Internet Gateway that would control online traffic, despite rights groups criticizing the move they say will give the government wide-ranging powers to control internet access.
The sub-decree titled the “Establishment of the National Internet Gateway (NIG)” is drafted by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on February 16, according to Ek Tha, a spokesperson at the office of the Council of Ministers. The sub-decree builds on provisions already present in the Law on Telecommunications.
The sub-decree was posted on the Council of Ministers Facebook page and is similar to a draft leaked in September. The directive establishes a National Internet Gateway (NIG) that will control all internet operations in the country.
The government will issue NIG licenses to operators, though there is no detail or clarity over who can apply to be a NIG operator, and, thereby, have unfettered access to the country’s internet infrastructure.
The NIG operator will work to enhance “national revenue collection”, to “protect national security” and to assure “social order,” to protect “culture and national tradition”, terms often used in other vaguely defined legislation.
“NIG is established to facilitate and manage domestic and international internet connections,” according to Article 4 of the sub-decree.
The sub-decree states that internet operators have to work in coordination with the Telecom Ministry, Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia, and other relevant authorities.
This operator will store and provide routine status reports – as frequent as weekly updates – to the government and telecom regulators while having the broadly defined power to “take action in blocking and disconnecting all network connections that affect safety national revenue social order, dignity culture, traditions, and customs.”
A few new additions to the document include an appeals system if an “individual” is unhappy with an order issued under the sub-decree and penalties for NIG operators found to violate their responsibilities, which could result in the operators losing their license.