Across Southeast Asia, increasingly authoritarian governments are systematically corroding freedom of expression as their tolerance for dissent and criticism deteriorates. States continue to harass, sue, and imprison activists and human rights defenders at alarming rates, as documented by ARTICLE 19’s Global Expression Report 2022. Repressive governments in the region are weaponizing a range of laws to silence criticism and preserve their corrupt regimes. Of these, archaic lese majeste laws are arguably the most problematic of them all.
August 19, 2022
How Lese Majeste Laws Are Eroding Free Speech in Southeast Asia
Across Southeast Asia, increasingly authoritarian governments are systematically corroding freedom of expression as their tolerance for dissent and criticism deteriorates. States continue to harass, sue, and imprison activists and human rights defenders at alarming rates, as documented by ARTICLE 19’s Global Expression Report 2022. Repressive governments in the region are weaponizing a range of laws to silence criticism and preserve their corrupt regimes. Of these, archaic lese majeste laws are arguably the most problematic of them all.
August 18, 2022
A Debt Storm is Coming: Which country could go the Sri Lanka way?
When activists are misunderstood: meet the Cambodian human rights defenders mislabeled as politicians
អង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិទទួលបន្ទុកសិទ្ធិមនុស្ស, ឧត្ដមស្នងការអង្គការសហប្រជាជាតិទទួលបន្ទុកសិទ្ធិមនុស្យ ប្រចាំកម្ពុជា
UNICEF delivers molnupiravir to Cambodia for Covid controls
UNICEF has delivered a batch of molnupiravir, an oral antiviral treatment for mild-to-moderate Covid-19 in adults, to further support the Cambodian government in its fight against the pandemic.
កុំពោលស្តាយក្រោយ និពន្ធទំនុកច្រៀងនិងច្រៀងដោយ ស៊ានកេត្យា

Casino Workers at Cambodia's NagaWorld Face Brutality, Jail Time for Striking
This special Workers of the World report from The Real News takes an inside look at the evolving labor struggle of workers at NagaWorld. Owned by Malaysian billionaire Chen Lip Keong, NagaWorld is Cambodia’s largest hotel and casino. Like many other employers, NagaWorld has tried to use the COVID-19 pandemic as a pretext to roll back years of labor organizing. NagaWorld workers’ union, the LRSU, voted to strike last year after management announced mass layoffs of 1300 workers, as well as cuts to wages and benefits—despite posting over $100 million in profits. LRSU organizers have faced
August 17, 2022
Former Australian school teacher faces criminal defamation charges over election comments
Hun Sen, was operating a “gangster regime” and the Australian government “has to stop sucking up” to him. In February, Hill also blasted the Morrison government for backing the establishment of a “farcical” human rights institute that he said would be used by the Cambodian prime minister as a propaganda tool in a bid to build international credibility, Australian MP Julian Hill said.
Cambodia’s main opposition party has called for criminal defamation charges to be dropped against its deputy president, a former Adelaide school teacher, who has declared he will “fight until the end and not flee” a political crackdown waged by long-time leader Hun Sen.
Taiwan Frets for ‘Thousands’ Trafficked Into Cambodia
Cambodia’s troubles with human trafficking have escalated significantly after investigations by Taiwanese authorities, who fear thousands of Taiwanese have been trafficked into the Southeast Asian country and forced to work for criminal syndicates.
Four parties plan to request meetings on election reforms: Candlelight, Grassroots Democratic (GDP), Khmer Will (KWP) and Cambodian Reform (CRP)
China supports Cambodia’s right to safeguard independence
August 16, 2022
Cambodia’s low lying provinces face severe flooding this week
The Cambodia’s Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MWRM) predicted light-to-heavy rainfall across the country next week, that could result in flash floods in eight provinces.
Vietnam eyes China’s expanding presence in Cambodia
East Asia Forum, August 16, 2022
In June 2022, several media reports announced that China was opening a military base at Cambodia’s Ream naval base located on the southern tip of Cambodia close to the contested waters of the South China Sea. Cambodia has already used Chinese funding to modernise and expand the Ream naval base. The reports claimed that a secret deal had been signed between Cambodia and China, giving the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) exclusive access to part of Ream.
‘Cambodia is the standard for democracy in Mekong region’
និយាយមិនចេះខ្មាសខ្មោច។
While hailing Japan’s crucial role in Cambodia’s peace-building process, the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) spokesman claimed that of the countries in Mekong region, Cambodia is one of the countries that upholds democracy.
Cambodia holds back Vietnam and Thailand in trafficking prevention
August 15, 2022
‘Why sue Son Chhay for defamation’
Thach Setha, Candlelight Party's Vice President, said.
A senior Candlelight Party (CP) official has called for defamation charges against Son Chhay, a CP vice-president to be dropped.
Which Asian Countries Support China in the Taiwan Strait Crisis – and Which Don’t?
An analysis of foreign ministry statements from across the Asia-Pacific region reveals which countries are hewing close to China’s line, which lean toward the U.S., and which are staying neutral.
August 14, 2022
របាយការណ៍ឆ្នាំ២០២២ របស់ក្រសួងការបរទេសសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក ស្តីពី ការជួញដូរមនុស្ស ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា
ស្ថានទូតសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិកនៅកម្ពុជា
Trafficking in Persons Report July 2022
U.S. Embassy to Cambodia
រដ្ឋាភិបាលកម្ពុជាមិនបានគោរពបានពេញលេញតាមបទដ្ឋានអប្បបរមាក្នុងការបំបាត់ការជួញដូរ មនុស្សទេ ហើយមិនបានបង្កើនកិច្ចខិតខំប្រឹងច្រើនគួរឲ្យកត់សម្គាល់លើបញ្ហានេះ បើទោះបីជាមានបញ្ហាជំងឺកូវីដ១៩ លើសមត្ថភាពរបស់ខ្លួន ក្នុងការប្រយុទ្ធប្រឆាំងការជួញដូរក្តី ដូច្នេះកម្ពុជាត្រូវបានបញ្ចុះចំណាត់ថ្នាក់ដល់ទី ៣ ។ ទោះបីជាខ្វះការខិតខំគួរឲ្យកត់សម្គាល់ក្តី តែរដ្ឋាភិបាលបានប្រកាន់ជំហានខ្លះដើម្បីដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាជួញដូរ ដូចជាការបន្តចាប់ខ្លួន កាត់ទោស និងដាក់ទោសជនល្មើស រកមើលជនរងគ្រោះដោយសកម្ម ហើយជួយក្នុងការធ្វើមាតុភូមិនិវត្តន៍នៃជនរងគ្រោះខ្មែរដោយការជួញដូរ និងអ្នកងាយរងគ្រោះ។ អំពើពុករលួយដែលមានជាទូទៅ នៅតែធ្វើឱ្យរាំងស្ទះដល់ការងាររបស់សមត្ថកិច្ច ក្នុងការចាប់ឲ្យជនល្មើសមានការទទួលខុសត្រូវ និងដល់ការផ្តល់ការជួយដល់ជនរងគ្រោះ។ អាជ្ញាធរមិនបានធ្វើការស៊ើបអង្កេត ឬចាប់អោយមន្រ្តីពាក់ព័ន្ធដូចមានក្នុងរបាយការណ៍ដ៏គួរឲ្យទុកចិត្តបានភាគច្រើន មានការទទួលខុសត្រូវពីបទព្រហ្មទណ្ឌក្នុងការឃុបឃិត ពិសេសឈ្មួញខិលខូច ដែលបានធ្វើឱ្យបុរស ស្រ្តី និងកុមាររាប់ពាន់នាក់ នៅទូទាំងប្រទេស រងការជួញដូរមនុស្ស នៅតាមកន្លែងកំសាន្ត និងកន្លែងឡឥដ្ឋ និងតាមប្រព័ន្ធអ៊ិនធ័រណែត។ ដូច្នេះមន្រ្តីបានខកខានក្នុងការផ្តល់សេវាការពារគ្រប់គ្រាន់ដល់ជនរងគ្រោះ នៅក្នុងស្រុក និងនៅបរទេស ហើយពឹងផ្អែកខ្លាំងលើម្ចាស់ជំនួយបរទេស និង អង្គការក្រៅរដ្ឋាភិបាលក្នុងការផ្តល់ការគាំពារចាំបាច់។
August 13, 2022
Undersecretary of State sacked for nepotism
Rainsy on trial over Degar deal
Khmer Times, August 12, 2022
August 12, 2022
Meet Cambodia's cyber slaves: Al Jazeera
This video is age-restricted and only available on YouTube. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/n-EtdC4zQso
Cambodia court charges opposition politician with defamation
មានជាភាសាខ្មែរនៅខាងក្រោម។ Available in Khmer at bottom.
Cambodia's National Election Committee demanded a public apology from Son Chhay and the Cambodian People’s Party sought $1 million in compensation.image EAC News Cambodia
AP, The San Diego Union-Tribune, August 11, 2022
A leading Cambodian opposition politician who publicly complained about alleged unfairness in June local elections has been charged with defamation, his lawyer said Thursday.
Son Chhay, deputy president of the opposition Candlelight Party, said in an online interview after the polls that the state National Election Committee was biased in favor of the governing Cambodian People’s Party. He also said there was vote-buying and intimidation of voters. His allegations were denied by the government.
Cambodia to inspect Vietnamese noodles after EU warning on ethylene oxide
August 10, 2022
Opposition’s alliance move at the crossroad
The initiative to form an alliance among minor political parties before next year’s National Election to challenge the mammoth ruling party – Cambodian People’s Party – still remains in the air as opposition party officials are struggling to be united.
Malaysia urges ASEAN states to engage Myanmar junta's rivals
Malaysia wants a clear endgame in Myanmar' faltering peace process and is advocating direct engagement by ASEAN states with the junta's opponents, and bringing other countries into the fold, its foreign minister said on Wednesday.
Cambodian Journalists Are Telling Truths, Not Breaking Laws
Article 20 of The Law on the Press 1995 (“Press Law”) guarantees that “no person shall be arrested or subjected to criminal charges as a result of the expression of opinions.”
Gravitas: Apple toes China's line on Taiwan
August 9, 2022
ASEAN (Minus Myanmar) Gets Its Act Together
Thousands of Taiwanese may be trafficking victims in Cambodia: Police
CNA, August 8, 2022
Thousands of Taiwanese lured to Cambodia by the promise of high-paying jobs may be stuck there as victims of human trafficking, according to an estimate by the National Police Agency (NPA).
United States Returns to Cambodia 30 Antiquities Looted From Historic Sites
The United States will return to Cambodia 30 looted antiquities, including bronze and stone statues of Buddhist and Hindu deities carved more than 1,000 years ago, U.S. officials said on Monday.