Mech Dara
Mech Dara (Khmer: ម៉ិច ដារ៉ា) is a Cambodian journalist.[1] Dara has extensively reported on corruption
and human trafficking. In 2023, he was honored by United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken for
his work covering online scams, named as a 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report Hero.[2] Dara previously
worked for Cambodian newspapers The Cambodia Daily and The Phnom Penh Post, both of which were
shut down by the government.[3][4][5][6][7] He also reported for Voice of Democracy radio and website,
which was shut down by the government in 2023.[3][8][9]
2024 arrest
Dara was arrested on 1 October 2024 in Phnom Penh.[10] He was charged with “incitement to provoke
serious social chaos” resulting from social posts in September.[3][11] Dara's arrest was condemned by the
US State Department and the US Embassy in Phnom Penh.[12][13] The Committee to Protect Journalists'
senior Southeast Asia representative Shawn Crispin denounced the charges.[14] He was released on bail
on 24 October after he appeared to have made a public apology to Prime Minister Hun Manet and his
father and predecessor Hun Sen.[15] On 5 November, he said that he would quit journalism and work as a
farmer instead.[16]
References
1. "Mech Dara: Award-winning journalist who exposed cyberscams is arrested" (https://www.bb
c.com/news/articles/cdjez9219n7o). www.bbc.com. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
2. "Cambodian journalist Mech Dara arrested on incitement charges" (https://www.nationthaila
nd.com/news/world/40041980). nationthailand. 2024-10-02. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
3. "A Cambodian reporter who exposed scams charged over online posts" (https://apnews.co
m/article/cambodia-reporter-mech-dara-corruption-98a300208b780b3cc0e38e2ed1728520).
AP News. 2024-10-01. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
4. "End of an Era as the Phnom Penh Post Closes Its Doors" (https://thediplomat.com/2024/0
4/end-of-an-era-as-the-phnom-penh-post-closes-its-doors/). thediplomat.com. Retrieved
2024-10-02.
5. "Cambodia's pioneering post-Khmer Rouge era Phnom Penh Post newspaper will stop print
publication" (https://apnews.com/article/cambodia-media-phnom-penh-post-stop-print-8b0ab
bc3e4c7be382053aff1631b8e74). AP News. 2024-03-01. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
6. Beller, Thomas (2017-09-12). "The Devastating Shutdown of the Cambodia Daily" (https://w
ww.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-devastating-shutdown-of-the-cambodia-daily). The
New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X (https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0028-792X). Retrieved
2024-10-02.
7. "Cambodia Daily newspaper closes in government tax row" (https://www.bbc.com/news/worl
d-asia-41141473). 2017-09-03. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
8. Chen, Heather (2023-02-14). "Voice of Democracy, one of Cambodia's last independent
media outlets, has been shut down | CNN Business" (https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/14/medi
a/cambodia-press-freedom-death-voice-of-democracy-closure-intl-hnk/index.html). CNN.
Retrieved 2024-10-02.
9. "Cambodia's Hun Sen shuts down independent media outlet Voice of Democracy" (https://w
ww.bbc.com/news/world-asia-64621595). 2023-02-13. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
10. "The Arrest of Mech Dara (Part I): Repression and Retaliation" (https://thediplomat.com/202
4/10/the-arrest-of-mech-dara-part-i-repression-and-retaliation/). thediplomat.com. Retrieved
2024-10-02.
11. "Award-winning Cambodian journalist Mech Dara arrested, say rights groups" (https://www.t
heguardian.com/world/2024/oct/01/award-winning-cambodian-journalist-mech-dara-arrested
-say-rights-groups). The Guardian. AFP. 2024-10-01. ISSN 0261-3077 (https://search.worldc
at.org/issn/0261-3077). Retrieved 2024-10-02.
12. "A Cambodian reporter who exposed scams charged over online posts" (https://www.washin
gtonpost.com/world/2024/10/01/cambodia-reporter-mech-dara-corruption/a840a3aa-8007-1
1ef-90f2-d1fc6303655d_story.html). Washington Post. 2024-10-01. ISSN 0190-8286 (https://
search.worldcat.org/issn/0190-8286). Retrieved 2024-10-02.
13. Mastrangelo, Dominick (2024-10-01). "US calls for release of award-winning Cambodian
journalist" (https://thehill.com/homenews/media/4909786-cambodian-journalist-arrested-incit
ement/). The Hill. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
14. "Award-winning journalist Mech Dara arrested for incitement in Cambodia" (https://cpj.org/20
24/10/award-winning-journalist-mech-dara-arrested-for-incitement-in-cambodia/).
Committee to Protect Journalists. 2024-10-01. Retrieved 2024-10-02.
15. "Cambodian journalist who exposed cyberscams released on bail" (https://www.bbc.com/ne
ws/articles/c624re58w99o). BBC. 2024-10-24. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
16. "After his arrest for Facebook posts, a Cambodian reporter says he will become a farmer
instead" (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c624re58w99o). Associated Press. 2024-11-05.
Retrieved 2024-11-05.
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