PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — A notable environmental activist in Cambodia, Ouch Leng, was taken into custody along with five associates during an investigation into unlawful logging activities in a national park, as reported by a human rights organization and a government representative on Sunday.

Ouch Leng, who received the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2016 for his dedication to environmental issues, was apprehended on Saturday in the northeastern province of Stung Treng. The human rights group Licadho released a statement highlighting the fact that these activists had been documenting a surge in illegal deforestation within the Veun Sai-Siem Pang National Park, an area adjacent to a newly established economic land concession.

This incident reflects a wider pattern of intensifying crackdowns on environmental activists in recent months. In a notable case from July, ten members of Mother Nature Cambodia, an environmental advocacy group, were each handed six-year prison sentences after being charged with conspiring against the state, amidst their protests against harmful infrastructure projects and alleged governmental corruption.

The provincial spokesman for Stung Treng, Men Khung, confirmed via phone that the six individuals were arrested for disregarding orders from local authorities to vacate a forestry zone where entry is prohibited. He emphasized that officials are actively monitoring the region to combat illegal logging and land appropriation activities.

Men Khung indicated that several dozen armed personnel have been deployed to the area to deter illegal loggers and land usurpers, as well as to prevent any unauthorized individuals from gaining access. He labeled the arrested individuals not as environmental activists but as those looking to incite chaos and challenge the authorities.

As of Sunday, no formal charges had been lodged against the detained individuals. Licadho pointed out that despite a 2012 moratorium on new economic land concessions, the Cambodian government issued one in this region in 2022, contributing to widespread evictions, rapid deforestation, and resource exploitation.

The Cambodian government has faced longstanding accusations of leveraging the judiciary to target critics and political adversaries. Prime Minister Hun Manet took over from his father, Hun Sen, who ruled for nearly 40 years, in August of the previous year; however, there appear to be limited indications of political reform or liberalization since then.