Chandaravuth Ly, Keoraksmey Phuon, Kunthea Long, Leanghy Yim, Ratha Sun and Ratha Thun share a love of coffee, books and hiking. Above all, they share a deep love for nature. With their campaign group, Mother Nature Cambodia, they have courageously defended the environment from the harmful actions of companies and the government.

In 2015, the group successfully halted the development of a hydroelectric dam which would have resulted in massive deforestation. In 2016, they were behind a ban on sand exports, protecting coastal areas from environmental degradation.

Their commitment to the environment has inspired young people throughout the country. But their activism has come at a high cost. The authorities have repeatedly targeted the group with arrests and prosecutions. In 2020, three of the activists were arrested for peacefully demonstrating against the infilling of a lake. A year later, three more activists were arrested while investigating the pollution of a river.

In June 2024, the activists were sentenced to between six and eight years in prison. Their crime? Protecting the environment they love so dearly. Ratha Sun fled Cambodia to continue their work, but the remaining five activists are enduring harsh prison conditions.

Demand that the five detained activists are immediately released and all convictions against Mother Nature Cambodia activists are quashed.

Sign the petition and demand the release of Mother Nature Cambodia Activists.