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Andy Ball

Marta Kasztelan

Cambodian environmental activist Ly Chandaravuth spent five months in pre-trial detention on charges of “plotting” before he was released on bail pending trial. Since then, he has spent many more months looking over his shoulder.
In recent years, authorities have jailed at least 11 Mother Nature activists and arrested dozens more. The group’s founder has also been deported. Facing a possible prison sentence, will Ly Chandaravuth be forced to abandon his activism?
This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center.


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Cambodia

Cambodian environmental activist Ly Chandaravuth fights for nature and his freedom

Cambodian environmental activist Ly Chandaravuth

How animals suffer for Buddhists to earn spiritual points – in Cambodia ‘life release’ rituals decimate birds

A couple release munias at a shrine in Phnom Penh. “Life release” rituals are common in Buddhist Cambodia, but the practice and the trade surrounding it kill millions of birds every year. Photo: Yann Bigant

An Asian golden weaver in a cage at Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh. Birds like this are commonly sold in Cambodia for “life release” rituals, but the practice causes harm to birds and the environment. Photo: Yann Bigant

Choeun Lien untangles birds caught in his traps. He typically catches around 150 birds per day. Photo: Yann Bigant

A merit bird seller among worshippers at Preah Ang Dorngkeu shrine in Phnom Penh. Photo: Yann Bigant

A man plucks a bird from a long stick coated with glue that he uses to take sleeping birds from trees near Preah Ang Dorngkeu shrine. Photo: Yann Bigant

A woman releases fish, which are a popular merit release animal alongside birds and others, into the confluence of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers on Vesak. Photo: Yann Bigant

A wholesale bird vendor near a shrine in Siem Reap sells sparrows, munias, mynahs, starlings and doves, along with migratory swallows in winter and exotic species. Photo: Yann Bigant

A Mekong snail-eating turtle attempts to escape from a bowl where it waits with other of its kind. Mekong snail-eating turtles are listed globally as a near-threatened species yet are commonly caught in Cambodia for merit release. Photo: Yann Bigant

Dead munias, sparrows and a reed-warbler lie in a bucket next to cages of merit bird sellers in Phnom Penh. Photo: Yann Bigant

The last two individuals of a cage full of Asian green bee-eaters are held by a seller at the end of the day on the Mekong riverfront. Photo: Yann Bigant

Cambodia says scorching heat played a role in ammunition explosion at army base that killed 20 soldiers

A military truck was damaged following an explosion at an army base in Cambodia’s Kampong Speu province on April 27. Photo: AFP

Cambodia probes YouTubers’ abuse of monkeys at Angkor Wat Unesco site: ‘needs boundary between human intervention in nature’

YouTuber Ium Daro, who started filming Angkor monkeys about three months ago, follows a mother and a baby along at Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Photo: AP

Long Kosal, is a spokesperson for APSARA, the Cambodian office that oversees the Angkor archaeological site. Photo: AP

Local YouTubers take videos of monkeys near Bayon temple, at Angkor Wat temple. Photo: AP

Cambodian authorities are investigating the abuse of monkeys at the world-famous Angkor Unesco World Heritage site. Photo: AP

Local YouTubers take videos of monkeys at Angkor Wat. Photo: AP

A monkey climbs a tree at Angkor Wat temple complex. Officials say some YouTubers are physically abusing the macaques to earn cash by generating more views. Photo: AP

A monkey drinks water from a plastic bottle near the Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. Photo: AP

News

Asia

Southeast Asia

A member of environmental activism group Mother Nature, he spent five months in pre-trial detention on charges of ‘plotting’ to oust government
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison


The Cambodian activist, a member of environmental activism group Mother Nature, spent five months in pre-trial detention on charges of “plotting” to oust government.


Human rights

Environment

Video | Cambodian environmental activist Ly Chandaravuth fights for nature and his freedom

A member of environmental activism group Mother Nature, he spent five months in pre-trial detention on charges of ‘plotting’ to oust government If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison

A member of environmental activism group Mother Nature, he spent five months in pre-trial detention on charges of ‘plotting’ to oust government

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison