Cambodian Journalist Mech Dara Released on Bail After Detention for Investigative Reporting

Cambodian Journalist Released on Bail After Three Weeks of Detention

A prominent Cambodian journalist, Mech Dara, renowned for his investigative work on human trafficking within online scam operations, was granted bail on Thursday after spending three weeks in custody. His detention has sparked significant condemnation from the United States and various human rights organizations, who view it as a blatant assault on press freedom.

In an interview with The New York Times, Mech Dara, aged 36, revealed that he still faces a serious charge of “incitement to provoke social chaos.” Cambodian authorities have claimed that this charge stems from his social media posts that criticized various injustices occurring in the country. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

Mech Dara shared that he is currently prohibited from leaving Cambodia and is required to report to the police on a monthly basis. “It was a very tough time for me in prison,” he recounted, choosing not to elaborate further due to the ongoing legal proceedings against him.

His lawyer, Duch Piseth, has expressed intentions to seek the dismissal of the charges against his client. Mech Dara is widely regarded as one of the remaining independent journalists in Cambodia, and his arrest has ignited a wave of criticism directed at the government led by Prime Minister Hun Manet.

Mech Dara has extensively covered the troubling reality of scam compounds in Cambodia, where thousands of individuals have been lured with false promises of legitimate employment, only to find themselves coerced into committing online fraud under the threat of violence and torture. His investigations have uncovered connections between these scams and Ly Yong Phat, a well-known tycoon who also holds a position as a senator and serves as a personal advisor to the Prime Minister. Last year, his efforts in exposing human trafficking were acknowledged by the U.S. State Department.

His release occurred shortly after Cambodia’s Minister of Information shared a video in which Mech Dara apologized for his social media activities, along with images of a handwritten letter addressed to Prime Minister Hun Manet and his father, the long-standing leader Hun Sen. In the video, Mech Dara stated, “In all the messages that I posted, I conveyed false information that affected the leaders and the country’s reputation. I sincerely apologize for my mistakes and promise to cease sharing such harmful content.”

On Wednesday, Samantha Power, the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, remarked on the U.S. government’s close monitoring of Mech Dara’s situation and indicated that she had discussed the matter with the Prime Minister during her visit to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.

After his release from a prison located in Kandal Province, Mech Dara visited a local pagoda to receive a blessing. He participated in a traditional ritual where he poured water over a Buddha statue and savored prahok, a dish made from fermented fish. “I would like to thank everyone who jointly helped me to achieve this bail release,” he expressed gratefully.

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