Malaysia deports domestic worker who criticized Cambodian government

Malaysia deported Cambodian domestic worker Nuon Toeun after she posted comments on social media criticizing Cambodia’s leadership. Her deportation, requested by the Cambodian government, highlights a notorious trend of Southeast Asian countries assisting each other in suppressing dissidents abroad.

About the worker and her deportation: Nuon Toeun, 36, had worked legally in Malaysia for several years before her arrest at her employer’s home in Selangor on Sept. 28, Radio Free Asia reported. Following a request from Cambodian authorities, she was deported to Phnom Penh and imprisoned. The worker’s arrest came just days after she allegedly criticized former Prime Minister Hun Sen and called him a “despicable guy” for his treatment of the Cambodian people. Furthermore, Nuon Toeun reportedly supported the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party, which was dissolved in 2017. If convicted of charges including incitement, she could be fined and imprisoned for up to five years.
Big picture and reactions: Nuon Toeun’s deportation is part of a broader pattern of Southeast Asian governments cooperating to silence dissidents. In 2021, Thailand, for instance, deported three Cambodian political activists back to their home country, drawing condemnation from the United Nations. Human rights groups have also decried Malaysia’s recent actions, accusing the country of complicity in “transnational repression.” Speaking to Free Malaysia Today, Phil Robertson of the Bangkok-based Asia Human Rights Labour Advocates said Malaysia’s response should have been “to thank the Cambodian government, tell it that the worker is in Malaysia legally, and they can do what they want when she returns to Cambodia. But we will not penalize someone for airing their views on Facebook.”

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