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BREAKING: Security officials are again detaining NagaWorld unionists as they attempt to return to their strike. Authorities and medical personnel citing public health measures have pushed about 30 strikers into waiting buses and driven them away. (Photo by Kuoy Langdy, VOD)
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A notorious Vietnamese ex-hacker infiltrated Cambodian scam operations’ computers after entrapped workers reached out for help. He collected thousands of internal chat messages & documented the workings of their fake online investment schemes.
Story:
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A remote, city-like compound owned by U.S.-blacklisted tycoon Try Pheap is housing online scam operations of thousands of workers rife with forced labor, detention and unexplained deaths, trafficking victims and rescuers allege.
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Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions president Yang Sophorn and Cambodian Food and Service Workers’ Federation president Ou Tepphallin shouted their support to protesting NagaWorld workers as they left the rally this afternoon.
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For the last week, excavators have been rapidly cutting through Phnom Tamao forest, and as the destruction inches closer to the pagoda, residents say they're worried for the animals and the future of the place of worship.
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Murders, kidnappings, corpses on the beach — news reports out of Sihanoukville paint a picture of violent and serious crime in the city. But authorities are holding back information and pressuring journalists over negative stories, crime reporters say.
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Imagine trying to trace a cluster of Covid-19 cases centered around sex workers and expecting them to report themselves to authorities. Under current policies, there is no incentive to comply. This is why decriminalization is the answer, writes Thon Bunly.
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Female filmmaking trainees are speaking out about alleged sexual harassment at a Bophana Center training program — including inappropriate conversations and touching they felt uncomfortable with — saying they don’t want it to keep happening to other women.
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#BREAKING
Cambodia has confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus, Health Minister Mam Bunheng said late Monday.
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A public-relations officer has asked VOD to remove the Zhengheng Group from an article on scam operations and offered money to do so, saying the company is helping authorities crack down on illegal businesses in its Koh Kong compound.
#VODEnglish
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BREAKING: Though the NagaWorld unionists seemed to be expecting this official response, authorities dragged or lifted some strikers to push them into waiting buses.
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NagaWorld’s union leader had prepared for her arrest. “The most concerning is my mom’s feelings. She might get sick, but sorry, mom, that will not stop me,” she said of not backing down. “They worry but they know what I’m doing is the right thing to do.”
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Breaking: Authorities have detained about 60 NagaWorld workers Monday afternoon and took them to a quarantine facility in Prek Pnov district as the workers attempted to resume their strike near the casino complex.
#VODEnglish
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The Appeal Court in Tbong Khmum has issued a final decision dropping charges against former Cambodia Daily journalists Aun Pheap and Zsombor Peter, bringing an end to their prosecution with no further scope for appeals, their lawyer said.
#VODEnglish
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Hundreds of foreign nationals have been removed from Phnom Penh compounds as police acknowledged detention, torture, extortion and human trafficking in several arrests.
#VODEnglish
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Seeking rescue of 11 men entrapped at scam operations, a volunteer visited three commune police stations, Sihanoukville city and provincial authorities, and sent messages to officials and a police hotline. None were released, and some faced consequences.
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In its latest investigation, VOD looks at the notorious "Chinatown" area and other scam-ridden precincts in the port city of Sihanoukville, and finds properties linked to influential business persons and a ruling party senator.
#VODEnglish
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“Chhim Sithar’s courage in showing up to today’s strike, knowing that she faced absurd and false charges of incitement, is a sharp contrast to the cowardly violence of those who arrested and assaulted her,” rights group Licadho director Naly Pilorge said.
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Nearly 8,000 Cambodians working in casinos in Preah Sihanouk have lost their jobs, 60 out of 73 casinos in the province have closed or suspended staff, and 70 to 80 percent of 30,000 Chinese people living there have left, a Labor Ministry official said.
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A 21-year-old staff member at Carl’s Jr. in Phnom Penh’s Toul Tom Poung tested positive for Covid-19 after contact with an employee at fashion store Pedro, the Health Ministry said Sunday. He is part of the “November 28” cluster, which now has 30 cases.
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An Appeal Court hearing for three jailed Mother Nature activists on Tuesday had heated exchanges between the defendants and prosecution, as the environmentalists defended their activism.
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An opposition activist was killed around 1 a.m. Sunday in Phnom Penh, with a witness saying she saw him running from near Wat Chas as assailants slashed his body with a sword.
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Government officials tried to shift blame, claim ignorance and accuse critics of not understanding the “technical” nature of cases when asked about foreigners being trafficked into online fraud operations in Cambodia.
#VODEnglish
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NagaWorld protestors were met with violence by security personnel on the streets of Phnom Penh Monday afternoon, after weeks of their protests proceeding relatively subdued.
#VODEnglish
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Phnom Penh police on Sunday disseminated four more arrest warrants against NagaWorld protesters for obstructing official measures, explaining that they were for Covid-19 Law violations.
#VODEnglish
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Today is Press Freedom Day. It is also the third anniversary of
@VOD_English
.
We remain committed to strong, independent journalism — regardless of pressures. Below, we’ve collected some of our best photography from the year, as well as some of the restrictions we’ve faced.
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Just a few years after U.N. trade data showed evidence of a massive discrepancy in sand exports to Singapore, the Cambodian government has quietly resumed selling the commodity overseas.
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Singaporean activist
@kixes
says Cambodia's embrace of the city-state's controversial foreign interference law to draft similar local legislation was depressing to see & a potential worry for civil society, journalists & political opposition.
#VODEnglish
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Kuy villagers were in dispute with Rui Feng since 2012, when their communal lands were cleared for a massive sugarcane plantation. Now, there is no sugarcane left in the plantation and villagers are moving back onto land from which they were once evicted.
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Hello readers! We will be taking the week off to get some much needed rest and recuperation. We will be back with news coverage next week.
But, we have a few long reads for you this week, as well as a review of the best stories from 2021. Enjoy them and see you in the new year!
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Excavators have begun tearing strips through the protected Phnom Tamao forest — recently privatized for development by select tycoons — raising fears among locals and a wildlife sanctuary that shares the land.
#VODEnglish
Story:
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Mass NagaWorld casino protests kicked off over alleged union-busting last year. Since then, Naga & other labor movements have been trampled with violence, obstruction and imprisonment. Here is what NagaWorld workers have to say about their year-long labor action.
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CNRP activists Voeung Samnang and Voeun Veasna were arrested by Thai authorities in Bangkok this week and handed over to Phnom Penh authorities, confirmed a government official on Thursday.
#VODEnglish
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The Golden Sorya Mall, which billed itself as Phnom Penh’s Pub Street, has finally been taken down after over a decade of being a famous part of the seedier side of the city’s nightlife.
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Workers at the Vanny Bio Research farm speak of X-rays to check newly arriving monkeys for airgun pellets and packing animals into crates for flights. It’s grueling work for under $200 a month to supply overseas laboratories with animals, they say.
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In Kampong Speu, a forest-dwelling monk hoots to mimic animals’ cries and talks of living in harmony with nature. But the community forest where he lives has been handed to the military, & nearby residents are camping among the trees to protect the land.
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As of 2:20 p.m., VOD reporters witnessed police placing a barricade south of The Bridge building on National Assembly Blvd, preventing participants from approaching the Australian Embassy, the most recent site of the strike against NagaWorld labor violations. Video by
@antbaliga
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The EU has called on Cambodia to protect labor and human rights associated with land titling, press freedom, political participation, and other areas of concern, in order to keep its duty-free trade access to the bloc.
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Unidentified criminals have cut down and stolen four prized rosewood trees from a Siem Reap conservation area, officials say.
#VODEnglish
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The exact amount of compensation is confidential, but it is equivalent to the gross profit that ANZ earned on its loan to Phnom Penh Sugar, said a representative for Inclusive Development International.
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Media advocacy organizations decried officials’ unexplained decision to ban reporters from news outlets VOD and VOA from Prime Minister Hun Sen’s press conference following the Asean Summit on Sunday.
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Taiwanese prosecutors allege ransom and electric shocks at Cambodian compounds, Malaysian media report a holidayer allegedly kidnapped then sold into scam work, & a Vietnamese newspaper says 10 countries are pressing Cambodia to cooperate on trafficking.
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Some among 50 soldiers fired at the feet of a dozen farmers on Thursday, hitting and injuring one, as the Defense Ministry moved to take over state land that locals have farmed for decades, according to villagers.
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The Forestry Administration issued a statement justifying rampant razing of Phnom Tamao forest, claiming the forest was inconvenient and a new zoo will be built in exchange.
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Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng is expected to head a high-level meeting on Wednesday to discuss the nearly three-monthlong NagaWorld protests.
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Protesting NagaWorld workers were able to breeze past police barriers usually set up to block them and were allowed to resume their protest outside the casino complex, as a visiting UN official observed them.
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Two prime ministerial bodyguards who moonlight as social media pundits are being discharged over their broadcasts, one for drunken antics in a bid to boost viewership and the other for criticizing Phnom Tamao deforestation.
#VODEnglish
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A large public survey of rural Cambodian households commissioned by the German government to investigate microloans found over-indebtedness, pressure to sell land and aggressive door-to-door marketing, & calls for phasing out public funds from the sector.
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VOD English started two years ago today, on
#WorldPressFreedomDay
, and for our anniversary, we've compiled 24 stories, one from each month since our launch. Check them out, and thank you so much for reading our work and staying informed!
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Som Sophea witnessed NagaWorld grow from a cruise ship to a sprawling casino complex. The company recognized her for two decades of service, but fired her during year 26. One month into a labor strike, Sophea says she wants respect for longtime employees.
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Nhung, 61, and Sok, 46, have lived their whole lives in Cambodia except to escape Khmer Rouge purges against ethnic Vietnamese. Now, alongside 100s, they’ve been evicted from floating homes here, some told to cross a border blockaded by Vietnamese ships.
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Research shows disturbances to Mekong water flows due to hydropower dams and climate change have disrupted fish habitats, breeding grounds, abundance and diversity.
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Around 200 strikers began Day 3 their strike against NagaWorld's alleged labor rights violations by singing the national anthem from behind a small barricade under heavy guard.
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International rights groups and embassies raised concerns over the recent arrests of Mother Nature activists, as a government-aligned media outlet posted alleged evidence where activists appear to discuss a cartoon sketch of PM Hun Sen wearing a crown.
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Three Cambodians, including a taxi driver, have been put under observation after having contact with the Chinese man who tested positive for coronavirus, the ministry said. He stayed at two hotels in Sihanoukville and swam in its pool, it said.
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The son of U.S.-blacklisted general Kun Kim has been promoted to Preah Vihear governor — at least the ninth child or in-law of ruling party leaders currently serving as provincial governor across the country.
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Police are blocking NagaWorld strikers from leaving their daily rally, saying they need to be tested for Covid-19. An earlier positive test for a woman — who said she has not attended protests since Jan. 15 after finding out she was pregnant — has led to a strong health response.
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Three Mother Nature environmentalists were sentenced to jail for 18 to 20 months for incitement over their activism, while two others, including the group’s founder, were also found guilty in absentia.
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Licadho has removed a rap video that marked nine years since deadly violence at mass worker protests, saying the police had warned that if the group refused, authorities would take further legal action.
#VODEnglish
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Cambodian activists and opposition politicians made a last-ditch effort to catch the attention of US President Joe Biden before he arrived at the Asean Summit, hopeful that the US’s self-image as a protector of democracy could help elevate their plight.
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Phnom Penh plans a colossal flyover on St. 271 that’d cost $36M and take 3 years to build. For half the cost, the ring road’s 13km can be transformed with bus lanes, cycleways and sidewalks, and actually reduce congestion:
@FutureForumAsia
's
@Ses_Aronsakda
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Nagaworld union demands investigation into false posts about foreign influence in its operation on the second day of their strike.
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Five people from three activist groups were prevented from riding bicycles in Phnom Penh on Tuesday to commemorate the 10th death anniversary of prominent environmentalist Chut Wutty.
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Emails and bank transfer details collected by U.S. investigators allege the Forestry Administration director used ministry staff to capture thousands of wild monkeys for illegal export, while also requesting a large donation to the ruling CPP.
#VODEnglish
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Reporters went out on the Bassac river in a hired fishing boat and counted 43 barges in total at various stages of the sand dredging process in two hours in one afternoon last week.
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“Is this how things are supposed to happen in Cambodia?” asks Yubi, who has accused an oknha of attempted rape. It’s painful and frustrating to have to give a simple but true answer: Yes, this is the way it has been, writes
@FutureForumAsia
’s
@TheangSoriya
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New research shows that hundreds of tons of plastic is carried away daily from Phnom Penh along the Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap rivers, choking critical waterways and hurting aquatic life and human well-being.
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The Agriculture Ministry has accused VOD of “perhaps maliciously” distorting a ministry press release, saying the publication could be perceived as having a “politically driven agenda.”
#VODEnglish
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A sub-decree signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen grants forest land in Preah Sihanouk province to his children Hun Mana and Hun Maly as well as the mother-in-law of his eldest son Hun Manet.
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Some Phnom Penh grocery stores were crowded with shoppers late Wednesday amid suggestions of a citywide lockdown, though authorities had yet to confirm the order as of the evening.
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Four activists arrested this week are all from environmental group Mother Nature, a rights group has said — as an Interior Ministry official alleged the “rebellious” group was using foreign money to try to topple the government.
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Nann Mara is at university studying law: only the third person from the indigenous communities in her district in Ratanakiri to seek a higher education. Less than 1% of all indigenous people aged 15 and over have even completed high school.
#VODEnglish
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The U.S. says it is ending aid to government entities under Greening Prey Lang, a project aimed at protecting the sanctuary, as the government silences local communities and civil society partners while “not adequately” putting an end to illegal logging.
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Kung Raiya has gone to jail for seeking a “color revolution” & later for selling Kem Ley commemorative t-shirts. The prison stints initially deterred him from being politically active, but with 3 weeks to go for the June election he is running for commune chief in Kampong Cham.
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An Agriculture Ministry official was arrested on Wednesday in New York — and the Forestry Administration’s director is also wanted — for a U.S. felony indictment over smuggling long-tailed macaques.
#VODEnglish
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11
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At least two NagaWorld union members have been arrested Saturday evening, according to police, following Covid-19 testing for more than 200 protesters.
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Nearly 9,000 phones were seized from a Sihanoukville compound and barbed wire cut in the notorious “Chinatown” area. As human trafficking raids target compounds across the city, residents say other buildings appear to be quietly emptying of foreign workers
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Six youth activists have been rounded up and arrested hours after rallying for detained unionist Rong Chhun, including a young woman dragged by her hair into a vehicle from outside a cafe.
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Saturday marks 6 months since NagaWorld workers began their near-daily demonstration over alleged union busting, and more than a year since mass layoffs were first announced. Strikers say they are fighting for their rights to organize.
#VODEnglish
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Chao Ratanak, Candlelight’s top candidate in Poipet commune, where her father once served as an opposition councilor, had no political experience until recently. If elected, she’ll draw on lessons from her father and her family’s migrant worker experience.
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Scuffles have broken out on the road outside a CNRP mass-trial verdict hearing at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court as officers dragged away defendant Seng Chan Theary, a Cambodian-American opposition activist.
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Three Mother Nature environmentalists arrested last year and already serving jail terms for incitement have been handed two more charges, insulting the king and plotting, which carry maximum jail sentences of 5 and 10 years respectively, their lawyer said.
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The party won only around 1,000 votes in Mondulkiri in 2017, and many residents don’t even know its name — only its elephant logo. But amid rampant land loss — burial grounds seemingly targeted by brokers — the Indigenous People’s Party wants to push back.
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Around 30 youths rode bicycles around Boeng Tamok calling for a stop to the privatization and filling of the lake. For local residents, the youths were doing what they couldn’t dare to. “I'm happy to see it,” one said.
#VODEnglish
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#BREAKING
: Cambodia has confirmed its first death from Covid-19, a Health Ministry statement said on Thursday.
1
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Striking casino workers resumed their protests outside Phnom Penh’s NagaWorld casino this afternoon following the arrests of 10 people on New Year’s Eve, as police were seen immediately arresting at least one more protester.
0
10
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Four women activists say they joined the frontlines of Cambodian demonstrations after witnessing different injustices, finding both stresses and pride in their work.
1
8
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Hundreds of Cambodians have been put in tents in the Thai border area, with many more arriving every day, as some have attempted to cross uncleared minefields amid border closures due to Covid-19, a local official said.
0
12
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After a year in prison on an incitement conviction for his music, 22-year-old rapper Kea Sokun was released from a Siem Reap prison on Friday and returned home with no regrets about his songs or his refusal to apologize for the lyrics in court.
1
4
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Activists who served jailtime delivered a petition to the Russian Embassy asking for peace in Ukraine, signaling their intent to continue speaking out.
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3
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Sexual harassment in public places is too often used as a weapon to keep its victims, most often women, in their place — both figuratively and literally, writes Future Forum's Theang Soriya.
0
4
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Amid targeted raids and arrests against scam and human trafficking operations in Cambodia, accounts from victims and a rescue group indicate that at least some syndicates are going to great lengths to relocate workers to a new country to evade capture.
2
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Dith Tina, Energy Ministry secretary of state and the son of Supreme Court president Dith Munty, has been put forward as the replacement for sacked Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon.
2
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The first day of commune election campaigning is kicking off on Saturday morning, with the Candlelight Party saying it is expecting thousands to join it in a march through Phnom Penh.
1
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A fictional short film on the eviction of a Bunong village — based on the true story of a Stung Treng hydropower dam project — has collected several international accolades this year. It screens in Cambodia for the first time on Friday.
2
9
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Kak Sovannchhay, who was convicted and given a suspended sentence for incitement and insult last month, was greeted by his mother, supporters and the media after being released from Phnom Penh's Correction Center 2 on Wednesday.
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A Candlelight Party commune chief-elect was arrested on Tuesday for alleged robbery in a case that dates back to 2002.
1
9
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In the shadow of Phnom Penh's famous Sokha Hotel, fishing boats and sand dredgers have been replaced by military vessels, and local fishers have been asked to temporarily clear the area with no compensation until the Asean Summit is over.
2
9
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Just 500 meters from Angkor temple park grounds, casino operator NagaCorp has proposed a giant 75-hectare resort with theme parks, a “China Town” and hotels that the company compares to Disneyland.
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