AKP Phnom Penh, April 29, 2026 --

Cambodia’s Ministry of Information has released a national survey reporting that the country’s press freedom and press order were rated as “good” by a majority of respondents, according to a press release issued Wednesday evening.

The report, titled “The State of Press Freedom in Cambodia 2026”, was unveiled during a press conference led by Minister of Information H.E. Neth Pheaktra at the Ministry’s Office in Phnom Penh this afternoon, attended by journalists and media representatives.

According to the survey, 80.8 percent of respondents working in Cambodia’s information sector assessed the state of press freedom in the country as good.

The report was released ahead of World Press Freedom Day 2026, observed under the theme: “Shaping a Peaceful Future: Strengthening Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development, and Security.”

The Ministry said the survey was intended to provide journalists, media practitioners, and the public with updated insights into working conditions and the state of media freedoms in Cambodia.

The findings showed that 85.8 percent of respondents said they had full freedom to gather information and publish news for the public.

Meanwhile, 70.4 percent said they had not faced threats, harassment, or violence while performing journalistic duties during the past year.

Another 84.6 percent said they had never been sued by citizens or authorities over their reporting.

Speaking at the event, Minister Neth Pheaktra said the report was designed to assess the health of Cambodia’s media sector, identify progress and challenges, and help shape future policy directions for the information and broadcasting industries.

He also highlighted reforms in institutional modernisation, regulatory frameworks, and efforts to maintain media order between 2025 and the first quarter of 2026.

The Ministry said it has continued to mediate disputes involving journalists, seek out-of-court settlements where possible, and provide legal support in cases proceeding through the judicial system.

It added that professional training, legal awareness, and ethics guidance remain key priorities to improve journalism standards and ensure compliance with Cambodian law.

The report also found that 75.26 percent of respondents rated press order in Cambodia as good, an increase of 3.46 percentage points from 71.8 percent in 2025.

During the press conference, H.E. Minister said that in the digital era, press freedom must be balanced with legal compliance, ethical standards, and social responsibility in order to support information security, public order, and national security.

The Ministry of Information said it would continue efforts to strengthen journalism quality, promote information security, and protect Cambodia’s information sovereignty while supporting lawful press freedom.

By C. Nika