Journalists Arrested for Extorting Wood Traders

[geovalin]

Khmer Times/Buth Reaksmey Kongkea

Nine local journalists were arrested yesterday morning in Preah Vihear province’s Koulen district over allegations they threatened to write about local villagers who were transporting illegal timber unless they handed over cash, according to officials. Deputy district police chief Kong Saroeun said the nine journalists were all employed by a number of local newspapers including the World News Newspaper and the Preah Vihear Newspaper and were arrested in Koulen Commune’s Mlou Chrouk Village about 9am.

He said they were demanding $100 from each car that drove past carrying timber from a nearby forest and threatened to publish their names in their newspapers if they refused. “They have stopped people’s cars which have carried timber from forests crossing their area,” he said.

“They extorted $100 per car or made them pay $500 per month to not report them in the newspapers or TV or not report them to relevant police in the province. “They were arrested based on villagers’ complaints,” he stated.

read more http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/24768/journalists-arrested-for-extorting-wood-traders/

[Lex Talionis]

"Journalists". In this context the word needs quotation marks.

[Dexlowe]

Brilliant - illegal wood traders complaining about being extorted.