Cambodian PM quits Facebook, threatens to block access in country

Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia has quit Facebook amid an ongoing case over his alleged violation of the rules of Meta Platforms and also threatened to block the social media platform in his country after its oversight board recommended he be suspended for six months.

In a video in January, the leader called for violence against his political opponents. It was viewed over 600,000 times.

Human rights groups have accused the Cambodia leader of using Meta's Facebook to intimidate political opponents and discourage criticism of his government. His administration denies all the claims.

Hun Sen has also said that he will now use Telegram,a switch to what he called a "better" application. While mentioning Telegram, he said in a post on Wednesday: "It is better compared to Facebook. So from now on I will publish information including live streaming only on the Telegram channel."

He further added that he would still use YouTube and Instagram and was creating a TikTok profile.

The controversy comes ahead of a July 23 election against the 70-year-old Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia since 1985. With 38 years in power, he is among the world's longest-serving leaders.

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He was also anavid userof Facebook, with a following of 14 million, a figure close to the size of Cambodia's population. As he left the platform, his account showed a text, which read, "isn't available right now".

Facebook announced Thursday it would remove one of Hun Sen's videos in line with a ruling by the Oversight Board for Meta, Facebook's parent company, which also recommended his account be suspended.

The ruling said his speech contained "unequivocal statements of intent to commit violence" against opposition politicians.

Then Hun Sen announced that he had stopped using the platform. While speaking to garment workers in Pursat province on Friday, Hun Sen warned that he could block Facebook "for a short period or forever" in Cambodia at any time to prevent exiled opposition politicians from communicating with people in the country.

"Don't be arrogant, you guys are staying overseas, you are using Facebook for communications, we could block Facebook," he said, appearing to address exiled opponents.

He also urged Cambodians to download other social media platforms, including Telegram, TikTok, Line, Viber and Meta-owned WhatsApp.

What did the Oversight Board say?

The Oversight Board, whose decisions are binding, recommended Hun Sen's Facebook and Instagram accounts be suspended for six months due to the January video. Hours later, Meta said it would comply with the decision to remove the video.

"We will conduct a review of all the recommendations provided by the board in addition to its decision, and respond to the board's recommendation on suspending Prime Minister Hun Sen's accounts as soon as we have undertaken that analysis," it said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

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