Cambodian military police said on Tuesday they have arrested an award-winning reporter known for investigating local corruption, trafficking and online scam centres, prompting concern from a prominent human rights group and the United States.

A Cambodian reporter who exposed online scams and corruption was charged with a criminal offense that could land him in prison for two years for material he posted on social media.

The charge of incitement came after the United States punished a tycoon for what it said was his role in the scam compounds.

PHNOM PENH; The arrest of Cambodian journalist Mech Dara in late September has raised concerns about press freedom, but the Ministry of Information has defended the move, stating that the charges against him are legal and unrelated to his journalism.

A Cambodian freelance reporter noted for his bold investigative reporting in a country with limited press freedom has been arrested

An award-winning journalist known for his work investigating human trafficking inside vast scam compounds has been arrested in Cambodia, as the country cracks down on media freedoms. Mech Dara was in a car with his family when he was arrested at a checkpoint on Monday.

The U.S. is calling for the immediate release of a Cambodian journalist arrested on Monday and charged with incitement over recent social media posts. Mech Dara, who won an award from the U.S.

A Cambodian court on Tuesday charged an investigative reporter known for exposing corruption and human trafficking, and whose arrest drew concern from rights groups and the U.S. government, with "inciting social unrest",

Mech Dara, an award-winning Cambodian journalist who has reported extensively on human trafficking and corruption, has been arrested and charged with incitement. Dara, who has reported for the BBC, has been charged over five social media posts which could "incite social unrest",

His arrest came a day after authorities in Prey Veng accused Dara of posting “fake news.” The journalist had posted a photo on Facebook showing destroyed concrete stairs leading to a pagoda that serves as a religious site and tourist destination in the province.