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CamboJA News wins the World Justice Project’s Anthony Lewis Prize for Exceptional Rule of Law Journalism amid shrinking civic space in Cambodia. IStories, Andersson Boscán and Mónica Velásquez were runners up.
In a landscape where civic space and press freedoms are shrinking, CamboJA News, one of Cambodia's last remaining independent media outlets, has been awarded the World Justice Project (WJP) Anthony Lewis Journalism Prize. The newsroom's relentless team of journalists and editors delivers daily coverage and in-depth investigative journalism on a range of critical issues.
Rule of Law Reporting
CamboJA News has excelled in reporting on civil justice, crackdowns on dissidents, labor rights, organized crime, regulatory failures, and corruption for both local and international audiences. Recent investigations have exposed Cambodia's illicit cyber scam industry, which trafficks more than 100,000 people and generates an estimated $12.5 billion annually—nearly half of the country's GDP.
In a standout exposé, the CamboJA team uncovered efforts by senior politicians who sought to evade sanctions. The investigation raised questions about whether international companies operating in special economic zones were complying with sanctioning policies and the extent to which the state protects powerful tycoons linked to criminal activity.
Another months-long investigation revealed Cambodian authorities' negligence in shutting down industrial-scale scam centers. CamboJA News' reporting uncovered that over 1,000 potential human trafficking victims were unaccounted for after raids by national police forces.
Threats to Journalists
The journalists at CamboJA News face real risks in their pursuit of the truth. In October, authorities detained a reporter who first exposed a tycoon's ties to human trafficking. In February, two local journalists were detained and charged with "incitement" after publishing a video showing an alleged forced scammer being beaten. Despite these challenges, CamboJA News remains undaunted and committed to holding power to account.
CamboJA News has contributed to accountability and increased awareness of the rule of law. The newsroom has served as a launchpad for local stories of rule of law abuses, often prompting international rule of law defenders to pressure Cambodian authorities.
Amid a shrinking press landscape, CamboJA News has become a one-stop shop for impartial, independent, and high-quality journalism, equipping its readership with a deeper understanding of the foundational importance of the rule of law.
Runner Up: IStories Media, Reporting Truth in Exile
IStories Media is an independent Russian investigative newsroom operating in exile that focuses on exposing corruption, human rights violations, and war crimes, particularly in Russia and during the war in Ukraine. Despite facing severe political pressure and threats, their work is crucial as they provide truthful and impactful journalism, uncover illegal activities such as the deportation of Ukrainian children and the evasion of international sanctions, and contribute significantly to international awareness and accountability by documenting evidence of war crimes and human rights abuses, often leading to international sanctions and criminal investigations.
Special Mention: Boscán & Velásquez, Exposing Corruption in Ecuador
Andersson Boscán and Mónica Velásquez are investigative journalists in Ecuador whose reporting has exposed systemic corruption, organized crime, and abuses of power. Their key investigations include uncovering the misuse of defective HIV tests, revealing how criminal gangs control prisons, exposing a narco-political structure within the president's administration, and detailing the operations of the Albanian mafia in Ecuador. Their work has led to the dismissal of high-ranking officials, triggered institutional reforms, and prompted public demand for accountability and the rule of law, even in the face of state threats and violent retaliation from organized crime.
Meta Description: CamboJA News wins the World Justice Project’s Anthony Lewis Prize for Exceptional Rule of Law Journalism amid shrinking civic space in Cambodia. Andersson Boscán and Mónica Velásquez were runners up.
