One Year On, Cambodia Urged to Free Jailed Eco-Activists

Five Mother Nature activists, from left to right Ly Chandaravuth, Thun Ratha, Yim Leanghy, Phuon Keoraksmey, and Long Kunthea, recording a podcast outside the court in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, June 11, 2024. © 2024 Private HRW

PHNOM PENH — A year after their imprisonment, five young Cambodian environmental activists from the group Mother Nature remain behind bars on what rights groups call baseless charges of plotting against the state and insulting the monarchy.

On 2 July 2024, ten members of the award-winning youth-led organisation were convicted in a case widely condemned by international observers. Five were immediately jailed, while four were tried in absentia and one, a Spanish national, had been deported years earlier.

Human Rights Watch marked the grim anniversary on Tuesday by calling for the activists’ “immediate and unconditional” release, accusing the Cambodian government of criminalising peaceful environmental work.

“These harsh sentences show the government’s disregard for both free expression and environmental protection,” said Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

The five jailed activists – Thun Ratha, Ly Chandaravuth, Phuon Keoraksmey, Yim Leanghy, and Long Kunthea – were sent to prisons in remote provinces, far from their families and legal support. All are serving six- to eight-year sentences, with some not due for release until 2032.

Mother Nature has long been a thorn in the government’s side. The group has exposed illegal sand exports, deforestation, and corruption tied to large infrastructure projects. In 2023, it was awarded the prestigious Right Livelihood Award for its fearless activism, which has resonated with Cambodia’s youth.

But since the crackdown, the space for environmental defenders has grown even smaller. Journalists reporting on similar issues have also come under pressure.

British journalist Gerald Flynn was banned from re-entering Cambodia in January, allegedly in retaliation for his work on illegal logging. In May, Cambodian reporter Ouk Mao was arrested and detained without a warrant after investigating forest clearance in Stung Treng. He was later released on bail but still faces multiple charges.

UN experts and rights groups warn that Cambodia’s continued targeting of environmental voices is eroding both civic freedoms and long-term environmental protection.

“The message is clear,” said Lau. “Speak out to protect the environment, and you risk prison. That’s not just a blow to these activists—it’s a blow to Cambodia’s future.”

-2025-07-03