British Environmental Journalist Denied Entry, Blacklisted in Cambodia

A British investigative journalist who has spent five years in Cambodia reporting on deforestation and other environmental issues has been banned from reentering the country.
Gerald Flynn, a staff writer for conservation news outlet Mongabay, was denied reentry to Cambodia on Jan. 5 after a short trip to Thailand.
Immigration officials flagged Flynn’s visa as “fraudulent” before his flight from Siem Reap, where he is based. Authorities let him depart but, upon his return, forced him onto a flight back to Bangkok, citing fake visa documents without identifying them and saying he was banned indefinitely from the country. They told him he had been “blacklisted” in November.
Flynn’s work has exposed environmental crimes and human rights abuses in Cambodia, sometimes tied to senior government officials. His recent contribution to a France 24 documentary on deforestation in Cambodia, which the government labeled “fake news,” stands out.
The documentary, aired Nov. 22, came just days before Flynn was blacklisted. On Nov. 23, six environmental activists – two featured in the documentary – were detained in Stung Treng province while investigating an illegal logging operation Flynn had previously reported on.
National Police spokesperson Chhay Kim Khoeun told CamboJA News that all foreigners banned from Cambodia are “either terrorists, spies, or criminals,” expressing frustration when asked about the public sentiment that Flynn’s ban highlights the country’s eroding press freedoms.