Chhim Sithar, a prominent Cambodian union leader, was released from prison on 16 September 2024 after serving nearly two years for leading a high-profile strike at the NagaWorld Hotel and Entertainment Complex in Phnom Penh.

Upon her release, Sithar pledged to continue advocating for better wages and working conditions for workers in Cambodia, particularly at the casino and hotel where the labor dispute began.

Sithar, leader of the Labor Rights Supported Union of Khmer Employees, was sentenced in May 2023 to two years in prison for “inciting social chaos.”

She was initially detained in December 2021 after the strike against NagaWorld began, following the company’s dismissal of over 1,300 employees, many of them union members.

Cambodian authorities have claimed the strike is illegal, alleging foreign involvement in its organization.

“It is a mistake for those who think that putting people in prison can stop workers from protesting,” Sithar told Radio Free Asia.

She reiterated that workers in Cambodia have the legal right to organize and strike, and stated her commitment to continue the fight despite the challenges faced.

The ongoing strike has been met with a violent crackdown by Cambodian authorities. The Phnom Penh Municipal Court also sentenced eight other union members, though their sentences were suspended.

Sithar’s arrest and conviction were condemned by civil society groups, the U.S. State Department, and human rights organizations. Amnesty International noted that the union members were “prosecuted solely for exercising their basic rights.”

Sithar’s release was met with anticipation by supporters, who had planned to gather outside Prey Sar Prison in Phnom Penh.

However, authorities transferred her home before dawn, reportedly to avoid demonstrations.

According to Ou Tep Phallin, president of the Federation of Food and Service Workers of Cambodia, officials “fear the public’s attention,” indicating a broader governmental concern over public protests.

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) also welcomed Sithar’s release but condemned her imprisonment, calling it a politically motivated effort to suppress union activism.

The organization’s Executive Director, Mary Aileen D. Bacalso, urged the Cambodian government to cease its repression of union leaders, saying, “No one should lose their freedom for exercising their fundamental rights, as Chhim Sithar did.”

FORUM-ASIA regards the case as the continued misuse of “incitement to commit a felony” by Cambodian authorities to suppress peaceful activism is a direct attack on unions and workers fighting for their fundamental rights, and further undermines Cambodia’s already restricted civic space.

NagaWorld, one of the most profitable gambling centres globally, is owned by a Hong Kong-based company with reported ties to Cambodian political elites, including family members of Senate President Hun Sen.

The labour dispute continues, with workers demanding wage increases and the reinstatement of employees dismissed during the pandemic.

CAMBODIA: Cambodia has recently imposed a ban on the Chinese blockbuster film titled “No More Bets” due to concerns over its unfavourable depiction of the country.

The film, released in early August, claims to be inspired by true events and narrates the story of a computer programmer who is trafficked to an undisclosed Southeast Asian nation, where they become entangled with a violent fraudulent organization.

Notably, the movie also features Khmer scripts.

As reported by The Cambodia China Times, various Cambodian government departments, including the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, and Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, are actively collaborating to address the film’s adverse portrayal of Cambodia.

The Cambodian Ministry of Interior has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the narrative of “No More Bets,” believing that it significantly tarnishes Cambodia’s image.

The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has officially decreed the ban on “No More Bets.”

Moreover, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts is set to work in conjunction with the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications to take measures aimed at curbing the spread of film clips through social media platforms.

Song Man, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, revealed that the ministry has dispatched a letter to the relevant Chinese authorities through the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia.

He emphasized that the Chinese Embassy is actively addressing the issue, and their cooperation will persist.

Song Man stressed that, in response to Cambodia’s request, Chinese authorities have provided access to the complete version of the film.

After viewing the entire film, it was found to be centred around an anti-fraud theme, with the Chinese intending to convey anti-fraud messages to their own population.

However, it has inadvertently cast a negative light on Cambodia and other Southeast Asian nations, such as Myanmar and Thailand, negatively impacting their tourism industries.

Song Man underscored that “No More Bets” has had an adverse effect on Cambodia’s reputation as a sovereign nation, asserting that the film does not accurately reflect Cambodia’s true image.

United Nations sound alarm on human trafficking and scam activities in the region

Despite the Cambodian government’s assertion that the film portrays transnational crimes, including human trafficking and violent scams operating in the country in an unfavorable light, it is undeniable that these crimes have long been identified by the United Nations and various human rights organizations.

In a recent policy report published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the issue of human trafficking, often used to coerce victims into participating in criminal activities, is just one aspect of transnational organized crime.

This criminal activity is closely associated with border casinos, large-scale money laundering operations, cybercrimes, and an array of other illicit offences. The report also documented credible instances of torture and extortion within these criminal operations over the past year.

While certain crackdowns have been executed in Cambodia and the Philippines, these criminal groups are evolving and perfecting their fraudulent activities from fortified compounds located within the protective umbrella of ethnic rebel groups in the conflict-ridden terrain of Myanmar.

Earlier, the UN released an alarming report a concerning report that highlights the ASEAN region has become a hotbed for online scammers, victimizing hundreds of thousands of individuals globally through human trafficking schemes specifically designed for online fraud.

UN Report estimates over 220 thousands victims in Myanmar and Cambodia coerced into becoming online scammers

The UN report estimates that at least 120,000 people in Myanmar and 100,000 in Cambodia have been coerced into becoming online scammers.

The report also alerted that individuals are lured in by social media ads promising easy jobs and luxurious amenities, only to be deceived into travelling to countries such as Cambodia, Myanmar, and Thailand.

“In some instances, people have attempted to escape, including by jumping from compounds or swimming across rivers (such as from Myanmar to Thailand or Cambodia to Vietnam), but these efforts often end unsuccessfully, either in death or severe punishment upon recapture,” the OHCHR stated.

Cambodia confirms investigation into its ‘citizens’ implicated in Singapore money laundering case

In the high-profile S$2.4 billion money laundering case in Singapore, it is worth noting that nine out of the ten individuals arrested were granted Cambodian citizenship between August 2018 and March 2021.

Additionally, these individuals were reported to have connections to various firms in Cambodia.

While possessing different nationalities, all ten individuals hail from Fujian, China.

Among the 10 individuals charged, three currently possess Cambodian passports and citizenship.

These individuals were identified as Chen Qingyuan (33), Su Baolin (41), and Su Wenqiang (31).

The Cambodian embassy in Singapore last month informed the Phnom Penh Post that they were cognizant of the situation and had received notification from Singaporean authorities about Cambodian individuals being charged in court.