Four journalists charged with violation of privacy, extortion after entering prohibited area in Pursat

On July 11, four journalists from various media outlets were charged with violation of privacy and extortion for allegedly entering a restricted area of the Cambodian Mining Action Centre (CMAC), according to the media institutions’ publishers.
Two days later, two of the outlets’ publishers told CamboJA that their reporters received a phone call from a villager on July 11 informing them of some suspicious activities involving gold mining at​ Phnom Bak area in Chrey Kroem village, Phteah Rung commune, Talou Sen Chey district, Pursat province.
Following that, the journalists made their way there and entered the said area.
“After entering, they saw a drone flying over them. They took pictures of it. Immediately, the authorities arrived and asked them to delete them. The journalists followed the order,” one publisher said.
The journalists were duly arrested and taken to the provincial police station. Their case was sent to the provincial court.
According to a copy of provincial court’s supervision order dated July 14, one journalist has been charged with violation of privacy (recording a person’s image) under Article 302 of Criminal Code and extortion.
The publisher said even though he did not see the other court orders, his reporter told him that he was also charged for the same offense as others.
Pursat provincial police chief Sor Theng told local journalists that the four journalists entered a “forbidden area of CMAC”. The journalists were released on July 14 after they wrote an apology letter, acknowledging their wrongdoing. They have been placed under court supervision.
On August 8, two journalists said their equipment, including smartphones, were returned to them on August 6. The journalists asked not to provide further information related to their case, saying everything was already addressed. On August 9, another journalist denied committing the crime.