Human rights

Phnom Penh-based Huione Pay was seen taking down its signage on Wednesday, six days after the U.S. Treasury flagged its parent, Huione Group, as a primary money laundering concern and moved to cut it off from the U.S. financial system. ...

Labor activist Rong Chhun, who is also a senior advisor of Nation Power Party, was found guilty of incitement by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for criticizing the ruling party’s border policies and the way it “handles” the illicit cybercrime industry. ...

The diplomatic relationship between France and Cambodia is gaining new momentum, marked by ambitious cooperation projects and high-level visits designed to take the partnership to the next level. ...

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Cambodia 161 out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, which is a further drop from 151 in 2024, reflecting a deteriorating media landscape, according to its report released a day before World Press Freedom Day. ...

The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the suspension of USAID support and Cambodia’s drop in press freedom rankings from 151 to 161 were the most widely discussed topics during an event held to mark the 32nd World Press Freedom Day. ...

In the past decade, Cambodia’s media landscape has undergone a major transformation, marked by notable growth in digital platforms. ...

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Thursday ordered the seizure of opposition advisor and labor activist Rong Chhun’s assets, including his home, over a contested $100,000 fine linked to a 2021 incitement conviction widely criticized by rights groups. ...

The “Say No to Fake News” campaign was launched on April 1, which coincided with April Fool’s Day. However, the campaign is no joke but rather an initiative to raise awareness and take action against those who deliberately spread misinformation. ...

Independent radio stations, Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA), have been suspended unexpectedly, raising concern among advocates of press freedom, unionists, and civil society in Cambodia. ...

US President Donald Trump has issued an executive order aimed at shuttering Radio Free Asia (RFA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and several other news organisations that receive funding from the US government. ...

A group of 10 politically active young Cambodians will visit Japan as part of the Japanese government’s support for Cambodia’s democratic development. ...

French Ambassador to Cambodia Jacques Pellet met with Dy Vichea, Deputy Chief of Cambodian National Police, on Monday to discuss measures taken by Cambodian authorities in relation to Thailand’s investigation into the assassination of Lim Kimya, a dual French-Cambodian citizen and former opposition lawmaker. ...

Cambodian prisons are more packed than ever, with inmate numbers up 23% and more than half of nearly two dozen prisons at 200% capacity or higher, local rights group Licadho recently reported, warning of persistent gaps in criminal justice reform. ...

Prime Minister Hun Manet has defended the more than $1.5 million dollars he has spent on boosting his Facebook posts, while also explaining that the funds did not come from the Kingdom’s national budget. ...

 A civil society organization stated that Cambodia’s freedom of expression, assembly, including political rights remains restricted in a report, which comes amid continual arrests of opposition Nation Power Party (NPP) officials recently. ...

After three of their homes collapsed at around 9a.m on Saturday, residents of Khtor village, Prek Leap commune, along Mekong River, are urging the authorities to build embankments to stop landslides. Authorities claim the collapse was a result of natural disaster. ...

After more than two years of talks, rights groups and Dutch investor Oikocredit failed to agree on a plan to tackle abuses in Cambodia’s microfinance sector. ...

The Apsara National Authority (ANA) has emphasised that the government always pays close attention to residents who have illegally resided in protected areas and have voluntarily resettled by providing them with support. ...

Interior Minister Sar Sokha announced on Wednesday that provincial administrations will take immediate action against any associations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that collaborate with extremist groups seeking to overthrow the government. ...

Cambodia’s civic space was rated “repressed,” scoring just 27 out of 100 in the 2024 Global Findings report from CIVICUS Monitor, an international organization dedicated to strengthening citizen action worldwide. The government has since brushed away the findings, calling them unfounded. ...

The Ministry of Planning’s National Institute of Statistics (NIS) and the EU officially launched the “EU Twinning” project on December 5.​ The event was attended by Minister of Planning Bin Troachhey, EU ambassador to Cambodia Igor Driesmans and Team Europe representatives from Italy, France, Poland ...

During her historic visit to Cambodia, Samantha Power, administrator for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), announced an additional $5 million in support for civil society, workers and independent media. ...

Despite the rapid digitalization of Cambodia’s economy and society, many online citizens continue to struggle with digital illiteracy – particularly vulnerable groups exposed to online discrimination and fraud. As digitalization efforts increase, experts are urging the government to implement laws that protect social media users and ...

A recent recommendation from the Ministry of Information urging provincial departments to monitor and control public sentiment, particularly on social media, has raised concerns about whether the primary intent is to maintain stability or stifle local opinions. ...