Cambodia / Asia

The Committee to Protect Journalists on Friday joined 15 local and international partners in a joint statement calling for the release of imprisoned Cambodian journalists Phon Sopheap and Pheap Phara. The journalists were each sentenced to 14 years in prison for treason on December 17, 2025, under Section 445 of the criminal code for “supplying a foreign state with information…

Bangkok, February 20, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the harsh 14-year prison sentences handed to Cambodian journalists Pheap Phara and Phon Sopheap for treason, after they were found guilty of “supplying a foreign state with information prejudicial to national defense.” Phara, a reporter with the local TSP 68 TV Online, and Sopheap, a journalist…

Bangkok, February 17, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Cambodian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release journalist Luot Sophal, who was arrested after publishing a report about an alleged water shortage faced by frontline Cambodian soldiers. On February 13, Sophal, a journalist with the local independent Srotop Yuvakvey news, was arrested by police in…

Bangkok, February 6, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Cambodian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release journalist Hem Vanna, who was arrested after publishing a report about a suspected cyberscam compound. On February 3, Vanna, a journalist with the local independent HVNN TV Online, was summoned by military police in the western border town…

December 8, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists has written to heads of government across Asia ahead of International Human Rights Day on December 10, urging them to immediately free reporters imprisoned for their work. As of December 1, Asia holds at least 106 journalists behind bars, with China (50), Myanmar (27), and Vietnam (16) the…

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined eight local and regional organizations in calling on Cambodian authorities to release journalists Pheap Phara and Phon Sopheap and drop all charges against them. The two were detained on July 31 after reporting on a Cambodia-Thailand border dispute and later charged under Section 445 of the criminal code, which covers treason…

Editor’s Note: This alert has been amended to reflect that the journalists have been charged under Section 445 of the Cambodian criminal code. Bangkok, September 12, 2025—Cambodian authorities must immediately release journalists Pheap Phara and Phon Sopheap, drop all pending charges against them, and stop using anti-state laws to harass reporters, the Committee to Protect…

Bangkok, June 10, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes justice for Cambodian journalist Chhoeung Chheng, whose killer, Sy Loeuy, was convicted and sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Siem Reap provincial court on May 28, according to multiple press reports. The ruling was made public June 5, the reports said. Described as a local farmer and…

The Committee to Protect Journalists joined CamboJA and other partner organizations in a joint advocacy statement on May 22 urging Cambodia to free Ouk Mao, also known as Uk Mao, an environmental reporter with the local Intriplus News website. Plainclothes officers arrested Mao without a warrant on May 16. He is being held in pre-trial detention…

Bangkok, May 19, 2025—Cambodian authorities must immediately release Ouk Mao, an environmental reporter with the local Intriplus News, and drop any pending charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. Plainclothes officers, who did not produce an arrest warrant, handcuffed Mao on Friday at his home in northeastern Stung Treng province and took…