“I have only ever worked as a journalist in Cambodia and have always represented myself as such to the government,” Flynn said in a statement sent to The Associated Press.
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand said it was “deeply concerned” about the blacklisting of Flynn, who served as president of the Overseas Press Club in Cambodia.
Cambodia's Interior Ministry confirmed Wednesday it had blocked a British journalist known for his reporting on human rights abuses and environmental issues, an incident that comes amid growing concerns over press freedom in the Southeast Asian nation.
Gerald Flynn, a reporter with U.S.—based conservation news website Mongabay, was denied reentry into the country over problems with his visa after a brief trip to neighboring Thailand in January, said Interior Ministry spokesperson Touch Sokhak.
At the time, the U.S. State Department said it was “deeply troubled” by his arrest, and about four dozen Cambodian media organizations and civil society groups issued a joint statement calling for his immediate release and to “stop all forms of harassment against media organizations and journalists.”.
