Cambodia News, Tbong Khmum: Two cars of journalists were hit by a group of forest criminals in a Samsung truck, causing many serious injuries and the two cars were destroyed by the attackers.

The incident happened at 12:30 AM on September 27, 2020 at the checkpoint at the intersection of Boeung Chrong and Memot districts in Tbong Khmum province.



This is a vicious act by the perpetrators of the forest crime group, who deliberately tried to kill the journalists who were taking pictures of their crimes at this location.

The relevant competent authorities of Memot district and Tbong Khmum province are requested to search for the perpetrators in order to bring them to justice according to legal procedures and to find justice for the journalists.

01 October 2020
Cambodia: Reporters attacked over reports on timber industry crimes

Four local online news journalists were attacked on September 28 in the Tbong Khmum province after reporting on forestry crimes in the district. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) denounces any violence against journalists and calls on authorities to do more to protect journalist.

The reporters - Ren Samnang from PMN news, Muok Saren from Chakrapop news and Ran Khorn and Teng Norin from the Eysan Post - filed a complaint at the Memot district police station in Tbong Khmum province against several suspects who they say threw a log through the window of their car and physically assaulted them.

The journalists said the group of attackers then returned to their truck and pursued the journalists before crashing into their car and running it off the road.

Nop Vy, executive director at Cambodian Journalists Alliance (CamboJA), said he was disappointed by the use of violence against the journalists, noting that reporters play an important role in monitoring and preventing illegal acts, including forestry crimes. “We know that forestry crimes are continuing to happen, and some cases involve local authorities and people who are powerful and rich,” he said.

CamboJA calls on the Royal Government to ensure the safety and security of all journalists so that they can exercise their right to freely report, without fear, on crimes that are taking place in Cambodian society.
https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/d ... rimes.html

More details:
Journalists attacked after reporting forestry crime
4 min read
30 September 2020
Khuon Narim

Four local online news journalists were attacked on September 28 by a group of men who they say were timber traders seeking revenge after the reporters had singled them out to police for committing forestry crimes.

The group of reporters from PMN news, Chakrapop news and Eysan Post filed a complaint at the Memot district police station in Tbong Khmum province against several suspects who they say threw a log through the window of their car and beat them with sticks and axes, injuring two.

One victim, Ren Samnang, a reporter at PMN news, said he was asleep in his car along with Muok Saren from Chakrapop news, and Ran Khorn and Teng Norin from Eysan Post news, when the attack occurred.

“I was traveling from Snoul district to Phnom Penh and upon arriving in Memot district, we pulled over to take some rest and fell asleep,” said Samnang, 29.

“We were sleeping [in the car] for about an hour when at about 12:30am, we heard a sound hitting the car,” Samnang said.

Upon realizing that someone had hurled a log through the front driver’s side window, he started the engine and began to drive away.

The group of about five suspects then returned to their truck to chase after the journalists, eventually crashing into their car and running it off the side of the road.

“I jumped out of the car and started to run away,” he said, adding that the log thrown through the window had injured his left rib, and that the timber traders had also smashed off one of the vehicle’s mirrors and dented the exterior.

Samang said he had recognized the attackers and realized the assault was in retaliation to the journalists’ investigation of forest crimes in the area. On September 26, the group had reported an incident of illegal logging to military police in Memot district, which resulted in the officials stopping a truck transporting timber through the area.

He said the journalists were present to report on the case when military police stopped the vehicle, but that the four or five men on board had gotten away.

“[Before running], the driver took a picture and said ‘Either your car will be damaged or we will cause you harm,’” Samnang recalled.
“I think that they wanted to kill us,” he added.
https://cambojanews.com/journalists-att ... try-crime/