Cambodian Environmental Journalist Faces Ongoing Threats Amid Shrinking Press Freedom

May 12, 2025 – Cambodia – 

A Cambodian environmental journalist, Long Kimmarita, has faced a disturbing series of threats and attacks, underscoring the rising dangers faced by reporters in the country. Over recent months, Kimmarita has endured intimidation, surveillance, and verbal harassment, largely due to his reporting on illegal logging and environmental destruction in protected areas. These incidents reflect a growing trend of hostility toward journalists in Cambodia, particularly those who expose corruption or challenge powerful interests.

Kimmarita, who writes for the Khmer Times, has reported extensively on land grabs and forest crimes linked to politically connected businesses. His investigations have reportedly angered local authorities and influential economic actors. The threats against him intensified after his articles highlighted irregularities in government-managed land concessions. He now fears for his safety but remains determined to continue reporting the truth.

These attacks are occurring against a backdrop of worsening media freedom in Cambodia. Human rights groups and international watchdogs, including Reporters Without Borders, have raised alarms about the government’s tightening grip on the press. Under Prime Minister Hun Manet, who succeeded his father, Hun Sen, in 2023, crackdowns on independent journalism have continued. Critical media outlets have been shut down, and journalists risk legal action or violence for publishing dissenting views.

The broader crackdown includes increased surveillance of reporters, restricted access to information, and punitive defamation lawsuits. Environmental journalists like Kimmarita face particular risks due to the sensitive nature of their work, which often exposes illegal activities backed by powerful interests.

Advocacy groups are calling for stronger protections for journalists in Cambodia, including legal reforms and international pressure to uphold press freedom. They argue that environmental journalism is not only essential for holding authorities accountable but also critical for protecting biodiversity and indigenous communities.

As Long Kimmarita continues his work under threat, his story illustrates the precarious state of press freedom in Cambodia—a country where speaking out for the environment can come at a personal cost. His courage is emblematic of many journalists in the region who persist despite the risks.

Reference – 

Attacks on Cambodian environmental journalist continue to pile up

https://www.dw.com/en/cambodian-press-freedom-under-attack/a-71639204

https://ground.news/article/attacks-on-cambodian-environmental-journalist-continue-to-pile-up