Interior Ministry Official Saddened by ‘Injustice’ of Human Trafficking Downgrade

The country’s top anti-trafficking official said Cambodia would investigate news reports of rampant human trafficking in the country, as a rights group noted how neither the government nor civil society were positioned to look at the emergent type of trafficking. The official said the country had cooperated with the U.S. on human trafficking measures and was disappointed the efforts were not enough to prevent the country from sliding down in U.S. ratings this week.

In its ”Trafficking in Persons” report, the U.S. downgraded Cambodia to be a “Tier 3” state — the lowest rank — citing human trafficking at scam operations, in the entertainment industry and among migrant workers. The ranking allows for restrictions to foreign assistance by the U.S. president.

Over the past year, hundreds of foreign nationals have been removed from debt slavery at scam compounds across Cambodia, and those who have escaped have spoken of thousands of workers perpetrating crimes online while being barred from leaving. The U.S. report suggested official complicity in the industry.

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