Unwilling To Be Silenced, a Cambodian Environmental Activist Readies for Prison

Cambodian environmental activist Ly Chandaravuth, a 24-year-old law student, was arrested while testing river pollution in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Charged with plotting against the government, he spent five months in pre-trial detention and is potentially facing a decade in prison.

A member of Mother Nature Cambodia, a youth group documenting environmental destruction—including widespread illegal logging—and corruption among Cambodian officials, Chandaravuth has been under state surveillance for years. But despite recent challenges and increased attacks on activists by the authorities throughout 2023, he has remained committed to exposing wrongdoings by the powers that be.

He’s following through on his investigations in Cambodia’s rainforests and is preparing to face the consequences for his activism, possibly spending the coming years incarcerated.

Amid the turmoil, a new opportunity to highlight the destruction of the country’s rainforests has emerged: The group was awarded the Right Livelihood Award in Sweden. Chandaravuth plans to travel to Europe to accept the prestigious award, also known as the alternative Nobel Prize. Will he and his colleagues be able to leave the country? And will they be punished for speaking up on a global stage?

A 20-minute documentary published in the South China Morning Post follows Chandaravuth’s journey to protect the country’s rainforests and illustrates the challenges faced by green activists in Cambodia, which has been prosecuting environmental defenders for years, according to Amnesty International.