Journalist Sun Narin recalls the day earlier this month when a colleague was singled out by Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen during a press briefing. The reporter had asked a question about the nation’s new state of emergency law.

In addition to strict lockdown measures, the legislation contains sweeping provisions that allow the government to carry out unlimited surveillance of telecommunications and to control the press and social media. 

“I watched the press briefing from my office because I assigned her to go there,” said Sun Narin, who works for Voice of America. “Hun Sen asked her to swear that the questions did not come from ‘the people in DC,’ referring to the Voice of America team in DC.”

Others, who watched the conference live on Facebook felt intimidated. “I felt a little bit of fear,” said Sineat Yon, a freelance reporter. “It made me be more careful when I produced any articles and news. In the meantime, I feel threatened.”