Cambodia: Journalist arrested for incitement after social media posts

Cambodian freelance reporter Mech Dara has been charged with incitement and taken into pre-trial detention on October 1 after the journalist posted Facebook photos of a quarry operation in Prey Veng. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association (CamboJA), in condemning Dara's arrest and urging the authorities to uphold the rights of journalists to report freely without fear of harassment or legal persecution.

Cambodian freelance journalist, Mech Dara, who was charged with incitement to disturb social security on October 1, 2024, receives a Trafficking in Persons Report Hero Award in 2023 from United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken. Credit: Saul Loeb / AFP

On October 1, Phnom Penh Municipal Court Judge Lim Sokuntheara chargedDara, with 'incitement to disturb social security' over five social media posts he made between September 20 to 29. He facescharges under Articles 494 and 495 of Cambodia's Criminal Code, which carry a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison.

Dara was arrestedat the border between Koh Kong and Sihanouk provinces, in the southwest of Cambodia, on September 30 while travelling to Phnom Penh with his family. Military spokesperson Eng Hy confirmedto the Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association (CamboJA), that Dara was arrested under a warrant, however declined to disclose the charges or his whereabouts for 24 hours.

The arrestoccurred a day after Dara published now-deleted posts on Facebook which featured photos of a quarry operation damaging the concrete stairs leading to Ba Phnom, a Buddhist pagoda and popular tourist destination in Prey Veng. In response, Prey Veng officials condemnedDara's post, accusingthe journalist of inciting 'social disorder' and disseminating fake news. The provisional administration also urged the Ministry of Information to take legal action against him.

Dara, best known for his reporting on human trafficking and corruption, was awardeda Trafficking in Persons Report Hero Award in 2023 by United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, for his work in exposing online scam operations in Cambodia. His arrest has prompted condemnation from numerous human rights and media advocacy organisations.

In a statementreleased on October 2, CamboJA and 49 other organisations called for the immediate release of Dara, condemning the arrest and calling for all charges be dropped. The statement confirmedthat Dara was sent to pre-trial detention at Kandal Provincial Prison, southeast of Cambodia.

CamboJA said: "We urge the Cambodian government to immediately drop the charges against Mech Dara, release him from prison and stop all forms of harassment against media organisations and journalists. The arrest of Dara is a clear attempt to intimidate and silence him and other journalists in a country where press freedoms are routinely curtailed."

The IFJ said: "The IFJ condemns the detention of reporter Mech Dara as a clear act of intimidation against media workers and the press. Journalists have a fundamental right to report freely, without fear of legal persecution or harassment. We urge the Cambodian authorities to respect press freedom and uphold the rights of journalists."