British Investigative Reporter Barred from Cambodia

Gerald Flynn poses for a photograph while covering a peaceful protest by women in front of the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to advocate for the release of former opposition party members on June 26, 2020. Photo by Sao Phal Niseiy

PHNOM PENH — British journalist Gerald Flynn, known for his investigative reporting in Cambodia, has been permanently banned from the country.  He was informed of the ban upon attempting to return on January 5.

On January 2, Cambodian immigration officials told Flynn his visa extension documents were allegedly fake, without specifying which document was problematic. Flynn says, “They let me leave the country and didn't tell me that I wouldn't be able to come back.”

Upon his return on January 5, he was denied entry and told the same thing, but officials still couldn't identify the “fake” or “incorrect” document.  At Siem Reap International Airport, officials informed Flynn that he was blacklisted on November 25 and permanently banned.

Flynn, a Southeast Asia staff writer at Mongabay, has been unable to obtain written confirmation of the ban despite contacting various government institutions and officials.

Regarding a request for explanation from the General Department of Immigration (GDI), Flynn stated that the GDI claimed he had applied for a visa as an electrician.

“Still, my visa was issued through a reliable visa agent. I've used it for years and have never had any problems,” Flynn explained.  “The visa agent has denied telling the government that I'm an electrician. I've only ever represented myself to the government and to the public as a journalist. I'm happy if I can change a lightbulb without electrocuting myself, so the idea I'd claim to be an electrician is ridiculous.”

When contacted for comment, Lieutenant General Sok Somnea, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Immigration (GDI), responded that Flynn applied for a work visa to be employed as a teacher, not a journalist.

Gerald Flynn has been known for his investigative reporting in Cambodia.Photo from Flynn's Facebook

“He requested a working visa as a teacher but does not do the same job. So Cambodia has full right to deny his entry,” Somnea explained. 

He also pointed out that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation issued a separate statement explaining why Flynn’s entry was denied. 

Cambodianess also contacted Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Chum Sunry, but he did not respond. 

Meanwhile, Ministry of Information’s spokesperson Tep Asnarith responded that he has not received official information on the issue.

“We are still monitoring the case,” Asnarith said in a telegram message.

Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona was also contacted but declined to comment. 

Nop Vy, the Executive Director of the Cambodian Journalists Alliance Association (CamboJA), stated that the decision to prevent Flynn reentry worsens the already declining press freedom in the country.

“Flynn has been doing a lot of work that draws increased public attention, both domestically and internationally, to issues such as environmental degradation and natural resource management,” Vy said. 

The Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) condemned the decision to deny Flynn re-entry and permanently ban him, calling it a blatant attack on journalism and further evidence of the Cambodian authorities' intolerance of critical and investigative reporting.

“We condemn this arbitrary decision and call for authorities to immediately facilitate his return to Cambodia so he can continue his work,” LICADHO said in a joint statement. 

Report on Sensitive Issues

Flynn has worked in Cambodia since 2019 with various local newsrooms, including Cambodianess, Voice of Democracy, and New Narratives. He was also a Pulitzer Rainforest Southeast Asian fellow and continues to work as a staff writer for Mongabay.  His works cover many sensitive issues, including illegal logging and environmental crimes in the country. 

For Mongabay, Flynn explained that he covered illegal logging and human rights abuses in REDD+ projects in the Cardamoms, which led to his feature in the France24 documentary. The Ministry of Environment and Wildlife Alliance responded to the documentary but did not identify any factual errors.

While Flynn knew his work could result in a ban, he also acknowledged that local media had significantly increased its exposure.

“Based on what I was told by immigration – that I was blacklisted as of November 25 – it does appear to be a retaliation to my appearance in a France24 documentary that scrutinized Cambodia's carbon offsetting projects,” Flynn explained. 

Local media, he continued, have picked up many stories he covered for Mongabay in Cambodia, some garnering millions of views online.

“And as press freedoms have shrunk over the years, my work becomes more visible, so it's quite possible that the France24 documentary was the straw that broke the camel's back,” he said. 

Meng Kroypunlok, a freelance journalist who has collaborated with Flynn, expressed his disappointment upon learning that Flynn had been denied reentry.

“In this case, I have seen there has been no specific explanation by the authorities on why he was not allowed to enter the country,” Kroypunlork said. 

He pointed out that Flynn’s works may have earned him this denial of entry and permanent blacklist.  

Kroypunlork suggested that Flynn's investigative reporting on sensitive issues, "such as illegal logging and the involvement of powerful brokers in this matter," likely contributed to the ban.

He also pointed out the vulnerability of freelance journalists adding that there have been certain restrictions and less protection for freelancer journalists, not just for Flynn but also for himself.  Kroypunlork further explained, "You see, we cannot secure press cards as freelancers.”

Tat Oudom, another freelance journalist who previously worked with Flynn, shared a similar perspective on the denial of Flynn's re-entry.

“As I am a journalist and environmentalist, I am saddened to know this when a fellow journalist like Flynn has been blacklisted and barred from returning," Oudom said, adding that Flynn had texted him immediately upon being denied entry to Cambodia.

Vy of CamboJa agreed that the government and relevant authorities should have a positive response to address the issue concerning Flynn’s issue. 

“We want a positive response and contribution to addressing the ongoing issue instead of denying Flynn’s reentry. The solution should be for the authorities to provide feedback on the problems with Flynn’s visa status,” Vy stressed.

In an email response, the British Embassy in Cambodia said that it was trying to clarify Flynn’s immigration status.  

“We are supporting a British man to clarify his immigration status through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,” said the British Embassy Phnom Penh’s spokesperson.

Mounting Calls to Allow Flynn to Return

Journalists who personally know Flynn, like Oudom and Punlork, urged the government to reconsider its decision and allow Flynn to return to his work without restrictions. His contributions would be vital in helping the government address the country's environmental issues.

Kroypunlok appealed to the government to reconsider the decision to permanently blacklist Flynn, permitting him to return and do his work freely in Cambodia. 

“His works significantly impact our environment, local communities, and Indigenous peoples,” Punloak emphasized. “I hope the authorities view journalists like him as allies and partners so we can collaborate for the greater good.”

For Oudom, Flynn has worked on various environmental cases in different locations in Cambodia, from Prey Lang to several other protected areas, including Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri, and Stung Treng. All of these areas have greater impacts on Cambodia’s effort to address environmental challenges.

“In my opinion, Cambodia needs more journalists like him to report on issues that reveal the truth while helping the government uncover irregularities and various problems with local officials so the government can understand what has occurred,” he said.    

LICADHO urged Cambodian authorities to lift the ban on Flynn and allow him to return to continue his important conservation work.  "The government must stop impeding the work of journalists in the country through arbitrary arrests, intimidation, and harassment," LICADHO added.

Similarly, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint initiative of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), called for the immediate and unconditional lifting of Flynn's entry ban, allowing him to travel to Cambodia.

“The Observatory further urges the Cambodian authorities to guarantee in all circumstances the right to freedom of expression, as enshrined in international human rights law, and particularly in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Cambodia is a state party,” it added. 

Flynn’s Next Steps: Hope for the Best

Since his name is permanently blacklisted and he remains unsure about his immigration status in Cambodia, Flynn was optimistic that he would continue reporting on the country's environmental issues as well as on the region, despite his recent troubling experiences.

“For now, I'm still trying to figure out the next steps, but while this experience has been distressing and depressing, it hasn't deterred me from continuing to report on environmental issues in Cambodia or across the region,” Flynn said. 

He expressed hope that Cambodian journalists will continue scrutinizing decisions on natural resources. These are assessments of the true cost of development, including issues with new transmission lines in Prey Lang, dams in the Cardamoms, and various developments in Virachey.

“All highlight this need to weigh up the environmental costs of development. So, while this is a dark time for me – and an already dark time for journalism in Cambodia – I believe many brave, skilled journalists in Cambodia won't shy away from the facts; I wish them all the best of luck," Flynn observed. 

Cambodianess

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