VOK TV Online publisher Thun Sophon has criticized the Ministry of Information’s decision to revoke the outlet’s media license, describing it as unjust and unacceptable.
According to the Ministry of Information, VOK TV Online’s license was revoked on 3 September. However, the journalist told CamboJA on 23 September that he was not informed of the decision until 22 September.
“I feel that I have been treated very unjustly. My media license was revoked without any prior notification,” he told CamboJA .
In its statement, the Ministry of Information said VOK TV Online had violated professional standards and regulations. However, the statement did not provide further details about the accusations.
On 23 September, Sophon wrote to the Minister of Information seeking an explanation for the revocation but received no response. However, he said a ministry official told him that the ministry had received complaints from two individuals against the media outlet.
The journalist said that in early September, he published a series of video reports featuring an interview with a woman who accused two individuals of fraud and alleged that local authorities had failed to take action. The two individuals later filed a complaint against the media outlet with the Ministry of Information. He said a ministry official subsequently called him and asked him to delete the video reports, but he refused.
“I am deeply saddened that His Excellency, the Minister of Information, whom I regard as a father, has ‘killed its child [revoke license] without shedding a drop of blood’ in this way. I urge fellow journalists to be careful and remain vigilant,” he said in the audio shared with journalists in the telegram group.
On 23 September 2026, CamboJA contacted the Ministry of Information to ask why the license had been revoked and whether the ministry had notified the outlet before taking action. The ministry had not responded by the time of publication.