12-year-old French-language newspaper closed down in Cambodia

Major French-language newspaper in Cambodia, the 12-year-old Cambodge Soir, has been closed down permanently after a two-day strike, local media on Thursday quoted a statement as saying.

The daily newspaper's parent company Societe des Editions du Mekong claimed to be bankrupt, but the truth stood behind an article on the Global Witness report with a theme widely judged too critical towards the government, English-language newspaper the Cambodian Daily quoted the staff's statement and senior editor as saying.

The reporter writing the article was fired and then led to the strike by the staff members on Monday, said the statement.

"On Tuesday night, the director verbally announced the administrative council's decision to close down the Societe des Editions du Mekong, which publishes the Cambodge Soir," it added.

The Societe des Editions du Mekong hasn't given any public comments yet.

The Cambodge Soir used to boast an educated readership who could understand French and enjoy a fixed group of advertisers such as French restaurants and leisure spots.

The Global Witness report alleged that some senior government officials of Cambodia were connected with each other to steal national properties like forestry and land. The government has banned the report and started investigations to locate the people behind it.

Source: Xinhua