HRN has given an oral statement at the 57th Human Rights Council in Geneva protesting Cambodia’s campaign of repression against journalists and critics. The text of the full statement is below the video, and it is also available on the UN’s video streaming site at this link.
Oral Statement Protesting Cambodia’s Campaign of Repression Against Journalists and Critics
The Cambodian government continues to wage a campaign of repression against journalists to shield itself from legitimate scrutiny, including the arbitrary closure of all independent media outlets and the arbitrary arrest of at least 24 journalists since 2017. A recent Ministry of Information statement falsely asserting that freedom of the press does not cover political content, and a 2022 UN survey indicated that 80% of journalists reported being surveilled and 60% being officially threatened.
Most recently it has arbitrarily arrested Mech Dara for incitement for online posts on an environmental issue, despite his long career as a reputable journalist at several newspapers on issues such as environmental protection, public corruption, online scam operations, and human trafficking.
In its campaign to silence all critical voices, the government has also arbitrarily arrested former CNRP opposition members, protestors such as critics of the CLV-DTA project, NGO workers such as from Mother Nature, and labor strike participants, among others.
We therefore call on Cambodia’s government to release those arbitrarily arrested and respect its duty to protect freedom of expression, press, and other civil and political rights.