PHNOM PENH: An award-winning Cambodian journalist, arrested over social media posts, applied for bail on Thursday ( Oct 24 ) after pro-government media released a prison video showing him apologising to the country’s leaders.
On September 30, authorities detained Mech Dara after stopping a car traveling from Sihanoukville, a southern city where many alleged cyber scam operations occur.
Dara is renowned for his reporting on the human smuggling in Cambodia’s infamous computer con market, and his arrest on suspicion of inciting social problem drew worldwide condemnation.
Late on Wednesday, Fresh News, a government-friendly news outlet, released footage that shows Dara wearing an orange jail uniform, holding her hands in a plea for help, and seemingly kneeling.
In the minute-long videos, Dara apologises to Cambodia’s previous head Hun Sen and his brother Hun Manet, the current prime minister, saying his comments contained “false data that is detrimental to the officials and the state”.
Dara also said he would quit posting stuff that is “harmful” to them and Cambodia.
Dara requested that the claims against him be dropped in a separate statement that was made available along with the picture.
Subsidized Piseth, Dara’s attorney, disclosed to AFP that he had requested bail on Thursday night and had contacted the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
We have a lot of promise that Dara will remain released at some point today, he told AFP.
Thai Prime Minister Hun Manet and Samantha Power, a visiting administrator for the US Agency for International Development, exchanged videos of apology, who revealed to reporters that she had discussed Dara’s arrest with him during a conference.