On 30 September 2024, independent journalist Mech Dara has been arrested and detained in Cambodia. As the international anti-corruption community, we stand in solidarity with the brave and often unprotected citizens and journalists who report on corruption.
Dara has reported extensively on corruption, trafficking and environmental crimes, and has worked collaboratively with members of our communities at Transparency International. In June, he joined us at the International Anti-Corruption Conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, on a panel aimed to tackle ‘Scam Operations, Casinos, Human Trafficking’ in South East Asia. During the session, Dara reflected on the trafficking, torture and killing that takes place within scam compounds, as well as on his previous arrest. The session can be watched here. During his career, Dara has worked with multiple independent media outlets, some of which were shut down by the government. In 2023, Dara was presented with the U.S. Department of State Hero Award.
We urge the authorities to respect Mech Dara’s rights and to ensure due process in his case.
