Indigenous environmental journalist Uk Mao from Stung Treng province is struggling—he battles 22 lawsuits and repeated intimidation for his reporting on deforestation.
The latest is a civil case filed by an individual known as Kim Thavina, demanding $32,267 and 100 million riel in damages.
A court warrant dated August 12, 2025, seen by CamboJA on August 20, ordered Mao to appear at Stung Treng provincial court on August 21, just a day before he received it.
Mao began his journalism career in 2017 with Mohahang News. He was hit with his first lawsuit in 2021 while working for Ta Khmao Thmey News. In 2022, he joined Intri Plus News. By August 2025, the number of lawsuits filed against him grew to 22.
Despite working without a salary, Mao continued reporting on deforestation in an effort to defend community forests. Mao has no formal journalism training and does not write full articles. He travels into the forest, interviews communities, takes photos and videos, and sends them to his publisher.
However, Mao said that only a few of his reports have been published, while many others, especially those implicating high-ranking officials in deforestation, were cast aside.
Out of 22 cases, 18 were filed by provincial environmental officials and forest rangers—one by a private company, and three by individuals. The accusations range from incitement and defamation to forest land clearing. Mao believes the lawsuits are part of a systematic campaign to silence him.
“Because I spoke [reported] about their ‘rice pot’ [impacting their benefits], they fabricated accusations against me in order to bring me to court, so that the court would punish me, making it easier for them to do business,” he said.
Mao said that 17 lawsuits were represented by only two plaintiffs.
He said the Ministry of Information rejected his request for a press card in early 2025, leaving him reliant only on an ID issued by his publisher. But, he said, his publisher is also under pressure now as his contract with Intri Plus News has ended.
On May 22, the Ministry of Information stated that Mao did not possess an official press card and his actions violated the professional code of ethics for journalists. Mao said he would find another media outlet to continue his work.
Complaint ignored
On March 24, 2025, Mao sustained minor injuries to his face when he was physically assaulted by three individuals, who also destroyed his smartphone.
Two days later, Mao filed a complaint with the district police. However, he was informed that a separate complaint had also been filed against him. Authorities did not disclose who lodged the complaint.
He said any lawsuit filed against him was “effective”. “When the complaint is filed against me, they [court] take action within a month. Sometimes, I receive three summonses in a single month — one for this case, another for that case.”
On May 16, 2025, Mao was arrested at his home by Stung Treng provincial military police. He spent 10 days in pre-trial detention on charges of incitement to commit a felony and public defamation. Before his arrest, Mao was already facing up to 17 legal cases.
After being released on bail, he faced five new lawsuits — three from environmental officials and two by private individuals — for allegedly clearing forest land in Stung Treng and occupying private land in Preah Vihear.
Mao insisted that the allegations are fabricated. He said he has never cleared or occupied forest land, noting that he was being “framed” to justify prosecuting him as a journalist.
In 2023, his house was burned down. “They burned my house, beat me and even put me in jail,” he said. “The court’s action is unfair. I am the victim.”
His plight underscores the growing risks faced by environmental journalists in Cambodia, where exposing illegal activities often leads to criminalization, violence, and attempts to erase their voices.
