Increasing Anxiety Surrounds Imprisoned Journalist Honored by U.S. for Unveiling Deceptive Web Fraud Operations
Mechanic Dara was apprehended by Cambodian law enforcement on a Monday, charged with inciting "disorderly conduct" over social media posts he made regarding activities at a mining site, as stated by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court in the capital city's declaration. Each count could potentially result in a two-year prison sentence.
This award-winning journalist is prominent for his investigations exposing corruption, environmental degradation, and human exploitation in a nation that has stringent media freedom restrictions. As reported by Cambodian NGO LICADHO, Dara has consistently advocated for accountability and justice.
In 2023, Mechanic Dara was honored with the US State Department’s TIP Hero Award for his work uncovering an illegal, multi-billion-dollar industry involving scam operations in Cambodia. Photos showed him with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who presented the accolade.
In a statement released on Day X, the US Embassy in Cambodia expressed concern over Dara's arrest and called for his release. They described him as a "vocal opponent of human trafficking and online scams" and an "advocate for constitutionally protected free speech."
The USAID Cambodia Counter Trafficking in Persons project deemed Dara the embodiment of the principles of a free society in Cambodia and publicly voiced their support for him as an anti-trafficking hero.
The European Union and Australia also expressed concerns over Dara's arrest. The Australian embassy in Cambodia stated, "All Cambodians should have the freedom to express themselves without fear of arrest or prosecution."
A coalition of 46 Cambodian media and civil society organizations called for Dara's immediate release, characterizing his arrest as an attempt to intimidate and silence journalists.
Human rights groups have stated that charges of incitement are frequently employed by Cambodian authorities against defenders of human rights, activists, journalists, and government critics.
Southeast Asia's scam operation epicenter
A significant focus of Dara's work has been on Cambodia's role as the center of a scamming pandemic in Southeast Asia, which has ensnared countless victims and raised global security concerns.
People throughout Asia often fall prey to seemingly legitimate job offers across the region, only to be trafficked into scam facilities where they endure severe abuse such as forced labor, arbitrary detention, humiliating treatment, or torture – oftentimes without assistance from local authorities.
Forming the heart of this network are Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos, as per the US Institute of Peace and law enforcement agencies. The UN estimates 100,000 people to be detained in Cambodian compounds, with an additional 120,000 trapped in Myanmar conditions reminiscent of modern-day slavery.
From these facilities, mainly Chinese-led transnational organized crime groups run profitable online operations, ranging from illegal gambling to romance scams and cryptocurrency fraud. Victims hail from all over the world, including the US.
The scam industry brings in an estimated $12.8 billion annually in Cambodia – equivalent to half of the country's GDP, according to the USIP.
Journalists covering the scam center industry in Cambodia have reportedly faced intimidation, surveillance, and legal threats, as reported by VOA. CNN was unable to independently verify these claims.
Crackdown on press freedom in Cambodia
Rights organizations attribute the decline of Cambodia's once booming media sector to former ruler Hun Sen, who oversaw the country for over three decades before relinquishing power to his son Hun Manet in 2022.
Cambodia currently ranks 151 out of 180 countries in Reporters Without Borders' 2024 World Press Freedom Index. Since 2018, independent media outlets have either been eliminated or forced to shut down, and censorship, government surveillance, media blackouts, and online harassment are widespread.
As a freelancer, Mechanic Dara worked for various local and international media outlets, including Voice of Democracy, which closed down last year.
The closing of Cambodia's last remaining independent media organization was widely criticized as the final blow to press freedom in the country.
Upon his arrest, Mechanic Dara told CNN, “We fought for the truth. We always have but evidently, some people couldn't handle it.”
"There are numerous stories to tell about Cambodia from Cambodia and beyond – countries like Myanmar and Vietnam," he added. "It's a space that's becoming smaller and narrower, and voices are being silenced so that the outside world cannot see in."
In response to his arrest, a research director for Amnesty International, Kate Schuetze, stated in a statement that the charges against Mechanic Dara represented "yet another example of the Cambodian government's unwillingness to tolerate journalists."
"This is just the latest measure in the new government's campaign to eliminate press freedom," she concluded.
CNN's Kathleen Magramo, Teele Rebane, and Heather Chen contributed to the report.
In his investigative work, Mechanic Dara highlighted Cambodia's role as a major hub for scams in Asia, contributing significantly to the global scamming pandemic. Various international organizations, including the European Union and Australia, have expressed concern over the arrest of this prominent journalist.
