Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called on the Cambodian government on Sunday to bring to justice those responsible for the murder of an environmental journalist, and to take decisive action to eradicate deteriorating violence against journalists in the country.
The group strongly condemned the violence against local journalist Chhoeung Chheng, who died on December 7 in a hospital in Siem Reap from abdomen wounds sustained two days earlier while reporting on illegal logging in a local nature reserve. RSF called it appalling and urged the Cambodian government not only to severely punish all those involved, but also “to take concrete actions to end violence against journalists” as press freedom in the country deteriorates and journalists covering illegal logging face violence.
A 63-year-old Chhoeung Chheng was a reporter for online media Kampuchea Aphivath and covered stories in the Khvav commune, in Siem Reap province, considered a forest area, focusing on ecological crimes and forestry. He was shot on December 5, by an unknown assailant, who was arrested by the regional government the day after the attack. The suspect confessed to shooting a journalist with a homemade weapon due to a personal conflict – he was photographed twice transporting illegal timber. Suspect is said to be an illegal logger in the area, on whose crimes Cheng reported several times in the past.
Journalists investigating illegal deforestation in Cambodia, as well as other press members, are frequently subjected to violence. Similar to Chhoeung Chheng incident has already happened ten years prior, when Cambodian journalist Taing Try was fatally shot while investigating illegal logging in the southern province of Kratie, along with five other journalists.
According to Freedom House, from June 2023 to July 2024, Internet freedom in Cambodia declined as the government blocked independent news sites, harassed Internet users, including opposition members, for their online activities related to the election, criminalized encouragement to spoil ballots, and conducted mass arrests. Shuttering by the Cambodian government in February of 2023 independent media outlet “Voice of Democracy”, which covered a wide range of issues, sparked outcry from rights group.
The most recent issues include legal harassment against journalists, issuing of legislation that restricts freedom of expression and charging of journalist.
Cases of legal harassment against journalists in Cambodia in 2024, most of which are carried out by state actors, reportedly include legal intimidation and harassment by state authorities.
In September, UN experts called on Cambodia to suspend the Charter of Professional Journalism, promulgated shortly before, and to conduct a thorough review with a view to reforming it, noting that it does not prioritize the public interest and does not provide adequate remedies for factual errors by the media.
In October, an award-winning Cambodian journalist was arrested and charged with inciting unrest. He was later released on bail after publicly apologizing for his posts.
