Asian-News.net is your go-to online destination for comprehensive coverage of major news across Asia. From politics and business to culture and technology, we bring you the latest updates, deep analyses, and critical insights from every corner of the continent. Featuring exclusive interviews, high-quality photos, and engaging videos, we keep you informed on the breaking news and significant events shaping Asia. Stay connected with us to get a 24/7 update on the most important stories and trends. Our daily updates ensure that you never miss a beat on the happenings in Asia's diverse nations. Whether it's a political shift in China, economic development in India, technological advancements in Japan, or cultural events in Southeast Asia, Asian-News.net has it covered. Dive into the world of Asian news with us and stay ahead in understanding this dynamic and vibrant region.

Contacts

  • <asian-news.net

Concerns grow over press freedoms in Cambodia after British journalist blacklisted from the country

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s Interior Ministry confirmed Wednesday it had blocked a British journalist known for his reporting on human rights abuses and environmental issues, an incident that comes amid growing concerns over press freedom in the Southeast Asian nation.

Gerald Flynn, a reporter with U.S.—based conservation news website Mongabay, was denied reentry into the country over problems with his visa after a brief trip to neighboring Thailand in January, said Interior Ministry spokesperson Touch Sokhak.

He said Flynn claimed to be an electrician on his original visa application but instead worked as a journalist.

“He cheated Cambodia,” Sokhak said.

But Flynn called the claim “bizarre,” noting that the blacklisting came only days after he had been featured as a source in a France24 documentary scrutinizing Cambodia’s carbon offsetting projects.

“I have only ever worked as a journalist in Cambodia and have always represented myself as such to the government,” Flynn said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.

“The lack of believable explanation or evidence from the government, coupled with the timing of my blacklisting, suggests I was denied entry to Cambodia as a result of my investigative journalism, which has often tied powerful elites to environmental destruction.”

In a statement this week, Mongabay said Flynn had been a journalist in Cambodia for five years and had always represented himself as such.

“He has consistently held a valid government-issued press pass during his five years,” the publication said.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who in 2023 succeeded his father Hun Sen after nearly four decades of authoritarian rule, has shown few signs of political liberalization, cracking down

Read more on apnews.com
DMCA