Vietnam detains Cambodian journalist

Vietnamese authorities arrested and detained the editor of a Cambodian newspaper on April 13 when he and his family made a weekend visit to their hometown in Tra Vinh province.

Vietnamese authorities arrested Ly Chhoun, along with his wife and daughter, for illegally crossing the border even though the Chhouns were carrying Cambodian passports. Chhoun’s newspaper Prey Nokor has criticized Hanoi’s treatment of the Khamer Krom ethnic minority, which includes religious persecution and social segregation. The Vietnamese government has hamstrung human rights groups in the area, barring them from operating or visiting the region.

Thach Pre, editor-in-chief of Prey Nokor, said Vietnam was punishing Chhoun for his journalism by menacing his family.

“Ly Chhoun’s trip to Vietnam had nothing to do with his newspaper. He wanted to visit his ageing mother,” Pre said.

Vietnamese police detained Chhoun and his family overnight then released them the next day.

By Adam Aton.