Siem Reap Environmental Journalist Succumbs to Injury After Being Gunned Down

Chhoeung Chheng, a Siem Reap-based journalist with online media Kampuchea Aphivath, died three days after he suffered a gun attack.
The 63-year-old was shot in the abdomen by an assailant on December 4 as he was travelling in Chi Kraeng district in Siem Reap province to report on a forest crime in a forest conservation area.
According to a journalist who witnessed the incident, Chheng was about 40 meters ahead of him when he was shot, resulting in critical injuries.
He was first taken to a commune health center around 8pm but two hours later he was transferred to the Siem Reap provincial hospital where he underwent surgery on December 5.
Unfortunately, Chheng succumbed to his injuries on the night of December 7. The authorities released a statement stating that a suspect had been apprehended, and allegedly confessed to the shooting of Chheng over a personal conflict.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on December 8 called on Cambodian authorities to ensure that all parties responsible for the attack are severely punished, and urged the Cambodian government to take concrete actions to end violence against journalists. It said the murder is appalling and demands a strong response.