" Two Detained Over Shooting of Environmental Journalists in Prey Lang", 10 June 2025

Stung Treng Provincial Court has placed two suspects in temporary detention for their involvement in the shooting of two environmental journalists working for Nokor Achariya media outlet as they returned from reporting on illegal logging in Prey Lang forest, Stung Treng province.

Chhum Seanghak, a spokesman for Stung Treng Provincial Court, told … that the court had ordered the “temporary detention of two suspects” of “attempted murder and possession of a weapon without permission” under articles 27, 199 and 490 of the Penal Code.

The charges are in connection with a shooting … that targeted journalists covering forestry crimes in Prey Lang. “[Regarding] the case where the two journalists got attacked by the gunner, the suspects were temporarily detained …,” he said, adding that they also face indictment related to the use of illegal drugs.

According to local media, Thlang Tao and Hang Chenda, reporters for local online news outlet Nokor Achariya, were riding their motorbikes back from the forest …, when they encountered an ambush in which a gunman, allegedly armed with an air rifle, attempted to assassinate them by firing three shots. However, they did not receive any injuries.

It added that the attack occurred after Tao and Chenda reported forest crimes involving illegal timber transportation, and continued to inform environmental officials until an inspection was carried out and legal procedures were implemented…

Nop Vy, Executive Director of the Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association (CamboJA), stated that environmental journalists frequently face confrontation and are seen as adversaries by criminals involved in destroying natural resources, which threatens journalists’ safety.

… “We journalists should be careful, especially environmental journalists,” Vy stressed…