1.2 Challenges and Cases
Struggles, Legislation, and Repression in Cambodia (2020-2023)
LEGEND:
: Legal and extralegal consequences
- “Status Unknown”: Current status of the individual is unknown
(detained, convicted, deceased, etc).
: Alleged offense + (articles/provisions invoked against the individual)
- “Unknown”: Either information is not available or no articles/
provisions have been cited by the judiciary
March
Januari
�� National Committee for Combating
Fake News monitoring committee
March
�� Two former CNRP members
⚠ Facebook Post (Sedition)
�� Arrested (Status Unknown)
20
20
COVID-19 (Task Force)
April
�� State of Emergency laws passed
�� StopCOVID-19 (Tracking Device)
February
National Internet Gateway (NIG) Sub-Decree
September
�� Kea Sokun (Rapper)
⚠ Song (Sedition)
�� 18 months in prison
March
20
21
20
22
February
Journalists (Voice of Democracy)
News (Unknown)
Arrested (Status Unknown)
⚠
��
Elections
⚠ Song (Unknown)
�� Forced to remove music song from platform
February
August
July
Kea Sokun (Rapper)
Voice of Democracy, Radio Free Asia, and
Cambodia Daily media outlet shut down
Law on Measures to Prevent the Spread
of COVID-19 and other Severe and
Dangerous Contagious Diseases
July
20
23
Tithia Sum (Candlelight Party)
⚠ Facebook Posts (Sedition & Lèse-majesté)
�� �� Arrest warrant issued; Blacklisted
from Cambodia
March
The Federation of Cambodia-ASEAN
Journalists, Raksmey Kampong Cham, and
Dumnong Knong Srok media outlet shut down
July
Prak Pheaktra (Activist)
⚠ Social Media Posts (Unknown)
�� Interrogated; threatened with passport
withdrawal
Fig. 1.3A: Summary timeline for Cambodia, 2020-2023
44
Dawn of Digital Dictatorship: Weaponizing the Law Against Online Speech in Southeast Asia