Concern Grows For Jailed Cambodian Journalist Who Exposed Online Scam Centers

International concern is growing over the arrest of a prominent Cambodian journalist who helped expose human trafficking fueling online scam centers, with several governments and rights groups calling for his immediate release, Helen Regan reported for CNN.

Mech Dara won the US State Department’s TIP Hero Award for his work uncovering the multi-billion-dollar illegal scam center industry in Cambodia in 2023. I Photo: U.S. Department of State

Mech Dara was arrested Monday, Sept. 30, by Cambodian police and charged with incitement “to provoke serious social chaos” over social media posts he made last month about operations at a rock quarry, according to a statement from the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in the country’s capital.

He could face two years in prison for each count, as reported by Kathleen Magramo, Teele Rebane, and Heather Chen for CNN.

In Cambodia, the industry is worth $12.8 billion annually—equivalent to half of the country’s GDP, according to the US Institute of Peace.

The award-winning reporter is renowned for his investigations exposing corruption, environmental destruction, and human trafficking in a country that heavily restricts press freedom.

Cambodian NGO LICADHO said he has consistently pushed for accountability and justice. In 2023, Mech Dara won the US State Department’s TIP Hero Award for his work uncovering the multi-billion-dollar illegal scam center industry in Cambodia.