After his arrest for Facebook posts, a Cambodian reporter says he will become a farmer instead

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- It’s reliable being a newsman successful Cambodia, whose authorities frowns connected independent publicity that questions authority.

Veteran investigative newsman Mech Dara learned nan difficult way, erstwhile he was precocious jailed connected a felony complaint for immoderate items he had posted connected Facebook.

Now he plans to beryllium a farmer, he said Tuesday.

In a connection of support past period from Cambodian media organizations and civilian nine groups, Mech Dara was praised arsenic “a front-line investigative journalist whose stories complete nan past decade person uncovered corruption, biology destruction, and quality trafficking astatine scam compounds crossed nan country, and has consistently pushed for accountability and justice.”

But now retired connected bail, Mech Dara told The Associated Press he plans to time off nan occupation and turn vegetables successful his hometown successful Kandal province, conscionable southbound of nan superior Phnom Penh.

When not tending his crop, he mightiness besides waste coconuts aliases different items, he said.

Mech Dara recalled he spent 12 years moving arsenic journalist, for nan Cambodia Daily and nan Phnom Penh Post, 2 once-vibrant English-language newspapers forced to unopen down nether authorities pressure, and nan Voice of Democracy power and website, which was closed by nan authorities past year. Now 36 years old, he had since past been moving arsenic a freelancer.

“In fact, I had been wished to support moving arsenic a journalist for galore years to come,” he said, “and to flooded each nan obstacles I would meet."

But a fewer weeks spent successful jail, pinch mediocre prospects of prevailing successful court, changed his mind. Cambodia’s authorities has agelong been accused of utilizing nan judicial strategy to persecute critics and governmental opponents.

Mech Dara was arrested connected Sept. 30 by a posse of subject constabulary astatine a toll booth arsenic he was returning pinch his family to nan superior Phnom Penh from a seaside holiday. The adjacent day, he was formally charged pinch incitement to perpetrate a felony aliases origin societal upset for items he posted online successful precocious September. The discourtesy carried a punishment of imprisonment for six months to 2 years, on pinch a fine.

Mech Dara said his initial, all-night interrogation was rough. He was successful handcuffs and flanked by 2 policemen equipped pinch AK-47 battle rifles arsenic he was questioned. And they walked him up and down from nan crushed level to nan 2nd floor, again and again, threatening him repeatedly.

Matters didn’t amended erstwhile he was sent to pre-trial detention astatine nan Kandal provincial prison.

He neither slept nor ate good successful nan narrow, overcrowded compartment wherever he was kept for much than 3 weeks. He said he saw prisoners slapping and punching each different and fainting, and heard of others dying. It made him wonderment “whether aliases not I could spot tomorrow and if nan adjacent time it could beryllium me."

Adding to his concerns were his existing wellness problems, including Hepatitis B.

At nan aforesaid time, he realized that nan prospects of earning a surviving arsenic a newsman were shrinking, particularly because arsenic a freelance journalist it was difficult to get licensed by nan Information Ministry,.

His business took a caller move connected Oct. 23, erstwhile Fresh News, a pro-government media outlet, published a video of him successful an orangish situation uniform, apologizing to Prime Minister Hun Manet and erstwhile Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is now president of nan Senate. Hun Manet succeeded his long-serving begetter arsenic premier curate past twelvemonth but truthful acold has shown small much tolerance for criticism.

In a minute-long clip, Mech Dara stated he had posted 5 instances of mendacious accusation successful nan past that were harmful to Cambodia and its leaders, and he promised not to station mendacious accusation successful nan future.

The adjacent time he was released connected bail.

The astir caller accommodation to his business came connected Monday, erstwhile Hun Manet connected his Facebook page shared 2 photographs of him and Mech Dara, 1 successful which they hugged each other, and different of them sitting look to face,.

Hun Manet said he had met Mech Dara and they talked astir respective topics, specified arsenic state of look and nan work of journalists to people existent information, and to adhere to their master codification of ethics.

Mech Dara hasn’t posted thing connected his Facebook page since his release.

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Associated Press writer Grant Peck reported from Bangkok.