Cambodia: Lin Vatey allegedly connected to attacks against journalist and community forest leader
The elected leader of the Phnom Chum Rok Sat community forest committee, Moeung Ratha, also a member of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and a former district councilor, confiscated timber cut from the community forest by the mining company Lin Vatey. He brought the timber to the community’s ecotourism office. After he did that, he was questioned by military police.
Later in June 2024, Ratha was arrested and sent to pretrial detention on charges of clearing state-owned land. Ratha remains in prison awaiting trial.
Ouk Mao is a journalist who was instrumental in bringing to light the alleged land grab and deforestation of the Phnom Chum Rok Sat community forest by the company Lin Vatey.
On Aug. 20, he was summoned for questioning at the Stung Treng Provincial Court, charged of illegally clearing state-owned forest and incitement. The questioning was set for Sept. 17. He faces up to 10 years in jail. While not detained, he’s subject to court-ordered monitoring and cannot leave his village without permission.
We invited Lin Vatey to comment on the allegations, but the company did not respond.