The oversight board of Meta has advised the social media giant to suspend the Facebook and Instagram accounts of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. This recommendation comes after Hun Sen posted a speech that called for violence against his political opponents. The board’s report, released on Thursday, urges Meta to take down the speech where the authoritarian leader threatened to “beat up” those who do not support his party and promised to “send gangsters” to their homes.
Hun Sen’s violent rhetoric caught the attention of Facebook moderators when the video was reported, but the platform decided to keep it up, arguing that it was too newsworthy to remove. However, the oversight board disagreed, stating that the violent content outweighed any newsworthiness.
The upcoming Cambodian general election in late July has set the stage for victory for Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party, as they have barred the main opposition from competing. The oversight board’s report also highlights that Hun Sen has been artificially increasing the newsworthiness of his own statements by suppressing press freedoms in Cambodia and allegedly using bot farms to boost his popularity.
Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge military officer who gained power through Vietnam’s support, has been leading Cambodia since 1985, preventing its transition to a democracy. The board recommends a suspension of his Facebook and Instagram accounts for six months, although this is a nonbinding recommendation that Meta has two months to consider.
As of now, Hun Sen’s Facebook page is not accessible, although it remains unclear why. A Meta representative confirmed that the company did not remove his page but did not provide further clarification on the situation. The board’s decision to recommend the suspension of Hun Sen’s accounts is based on his history of human rights violations, intimidation of political opponents, and strategic use of social media to amplify such threats.
Hun Sen has been accused of numerous crimes, including killing political opponents, torturing prisoners and dissidents, and suppressing an independent media that flourished in the 1990s and 2000s. Despite government censorship and legal repercussions for critical posts, Hun Sen, an avid Facebook user, has utilized the platform to connect with a younger generation of voters in one of Asia’s youngest countries.
In a recent development, Hun Sen announced that he will cease using his Facebook page and instead exclusively post on Telegram. Updates regarding Meta’s final decision on the account have not been provided at this time.
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