The Journalists Against Corruption (JAC) expresses alarm and concern over the arrest of our colleague, Cambodian independent journalist Mech Dara.
Mech Dara is a crusading journalist who has investigated human trafficking linked to online scam operations and Special Economic Zones, for which he received the 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report Hero Award from the US State Department.
We appeal to the Cambodian authorities to accord Mech Dara due process and immediately release him to the custody of his family if there are no justifiable grounds to hold him any longer.
Like any journalist, Mech Dara enjoys the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press — in essence, the freedom to do his job to the extent of exposing wrongdoing without the threat of harassment, detention and arrest hanging over his head.
Journalists Against Corruption (JAC)
October 1, 2024
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Established in March 2024, the Journalists Against Corruption (JAC) is a network of investigative journalists in Southeast Asia committed to report on corruption. Mech Dara is a member of JAC.