Cambodian Journalist Released After Reporting on Illegal Logging, Reaches Agreement

In Oddar Meanchey province, northwestern Cambodia, the editor-in-chief of a youth-oriented website, Pen Nuon, 49, was released on September 14 after reaching an agreement with authorities. His detention was related to his reporting on suspected illegal logging activities. Nuon's report, published in July 2026, included photographs of provincial military police leaders and the provincial governor, which drew the attention of the authorities. He reportedly acknowledged his mistakes concerning the article and agreed to retract the report and remove the photographs of the provincial leaders. Following this, the website he is affiliated with removed the content and images. Nuon was apprehended from his home in Rumchek Kandal village, Anlong Veng district, on September 13 and taken to the Oddar Meanchey Provincial Military Police Headquarters. He had been summoned twice previously by the provincial military police to provide clarification regarding his reporting. This incident highlights the ongoing tension between press freedom and the authorities' response to critical reporting on government and military officials in Cambodia. The country has been grappling with significant deforestation, and reports on illegal logging and land grabbing are frequent. However, such reporting has often led to pressure or censorship from the authorities. Source: CEN Cambodia