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7mo ago

Award-Winning Cambodian Journalist Mech Dara Arrested for Incitement

Mech Dara, known for exposing human trafficking and online scam operations, faces up to two years in prison for social media posts.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken presents Mech Dara with the TIP Report Hero award at the release of the 2023 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report at the State Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 15, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger/File Photo
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Overview

  • Mech Dara was detained by Cambodian military police at a highway toll booth on Monday, September 30, 2024.
  • Dara has been charged with incitement over social media posts about a rock quarry, which local officials claimed were meant to cause social disorder.
  • Human rights groups and the US State Department have expressed concern over Dara's arrest and are closely monitoring the situation.
  • Dara's investigative work has highlighted human trafficking and forced labor in scam compounds, earning him international recognition, including a Hero Award from the US State Department.
  • The arrest is seen as part of a broader crackdown on press freedom in Cambodia, where independent media outlets have been systematically shut down.