By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
Environmental Activists Jailed in Cambodia
Cambodia has imprisoned 10 environmental activists from the group Mother Nature for plotting against the government, a move critics claim is politically motivated. These activists were charged in 2021 after exposing waste run off into Phnom Penh's Tonle Sap river near the royal palace. Three members, including Spanish co founder Alejandro Gonzalez Davidson, received eight year sentences and $2,500 fines for also allegedly insulting the king. The remaining seven activists were sentenced to six years. Prosecutors have not explained how the activists violated laws against insulting the king or conspiring against the government.
Ongoing Environmental and Political Tensions
Since its inception in 2013, Mother Nature has campaigned against environmentally destructive projects and questioned the management of natural resources in Cambodia. The group shares their findings in engaging videos on Facebook, where they have 457,000 followers. Environmental groups accuse Cambodian leaders of exploiting the country's natural resources, a claim the government denies, instead accusing Mother Nature of inciting social unrest. Gonzalez Davidson, previously banned from entering Cambodia, criticized the verdict as a "disastrous decision by the Hun family regime," predicting it would ultimately backfire by inspiring others to continue the activists' work.
Crackdown on Dissent Under New Leadership
Cambodia's law against insulting the king, implemented in 2018, is viewed by critics as a tool to suppress dissent. During the lengthy rule of former Prime Minister Hun Sen, opposition political parties were dismantled, independent media outlets were shut down, and numerous activists were imprisoned. Hun Sen stepped down last year, passing the leadership to his son, Hun Manet. Under Hun Manet’s regime, Mother Nature activists have continued to denounce what they see as biased law enforcement favoring corporations and the wealthy elite.
Violent Arrests and Legal Actions
Four of the convicted Mother Nature activists were present at their hearings and were immediately arrested after the verdict was announced. Representatives from the Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (Licadho), who were outside the Phnom Penh court, reported that the arrests were violent, with at least two activists being dragged by their necks. Arrest warrants have been issued for the remaining six activists, including the group’s co founder, Alejandro Gonzalez Davidson.
Support and Protests
Earlier that day, dozens of Mother Nature supporters marched towards the court where the verdicts were to be delivered. Dressed in white, the traditional color of mourning in Cambodia, they held handwritten posters with messages such as "We need freedom" and "We need rights," and carried white flowers in a show of support for the activists. Despite the government's stance, the activists and their supporters continue to call for justice and the protection of their rights.