Source: Amnesty International –
Responding to emerging videos that appear to show the release and escape attempts of victims from scamming compounds across Cambodia, Amnesty International’s Regional Research Director Montse Ferrer said:
“Footage appearing to show the mass release and escape attempts from scamming compounds of individuals who are possibly victims of human trafficking and torture raise concerns that thousands of people are now stranded in Cambodia without support and at risk of being re‑trafficked into other compounds.
“The Cambodian government must provide support for these individuals and help bring all remaining victims inside scamming compounds to safety, as well as ensuring their access to justice and remedy. They must not be forcibly sent back to countries where they risk being persecuted, as has happened in the past.
“This latest dramatic development reflects the alarming scale of the problem of the scamming industry in Cambodia and the failure of the government to properly investigate and hold those responsible to account.
“If the Cambodian government is serious about ending this slave-driven industry, it must now investigate all scamming compounds in the country. Where there is sufficient evidence, it must prosecute perpetrators and their accomplices – including landlords and companies who have contributed to the harms of scamming compounds. Testimonies from victims, if willing, should be used to prosecute the offenders in Cambodian courts.”