A community report by Friday Club., published with the consent and co-operation of Mr. Chengโs daughter, Stephanie Cheng.
A deeply troubling situation is developing in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Mr. Chi Gian Cheng, a French national, has been detained under highly questionable circumstancesย โ just hours before he was set to present evidence of high-level corruption to Cambodian authorities. His family believes this detention is not only unlawful, but part of a deliberate attempt to silence him ahead of exposing a major financial fraud case โ allegedly implicating a senior government official.
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The Isolation Tactic
Stephanie describes her fatherโs detention as a deliberate and highly orchestrated attempt to prevent him from testifying. She believes the timing was no coincidence, but rather a deliberateย political maneuver designed to shield powerful individuals from exposure. In her words, it is โa calculated move to prevent a high-profile official from being convicted and to silence my father before he could present his evidence.โ
Since his detention, Mr. Cheng has reportedly been denied access to legal counsel and has not been provided with an interpreter โย despite speaking neither Khmer nor English. He has been barred from any contact with the French consulate, leaving his family increasingly fearful. Stephanie emphasises that he remains isolated and vulnerable, held without any formal charges, and facing grave risks to his life and freedom. She fears that fabricated charges may be forthcoming, potentially shifting blame onto her father in an effort to discredit his allegations and legitimise his imprisonment or deportation.
Rallying Cry Echoes
Stephanieโs urgent pleas are now gaining international attention. She has called upon the French government to intervene diplomatically on behalf of her father and has appealed to the broader international community, including human rights organisations, to closely observe the case to ensure that her fatherโs rights are not being quietly violated. In her public statement, she declared: โWe are urgently calling on the French Consulate to take immediate action to protect my fatherโs rights, on the international community and human rights organisations to closely monitor this case, and on the French government to step in and provide diplomatic protection for one of its citizens.โ
While Cambodian authorities claim that a legal warrant was issued prior to Mr. Chengโs arrest, his family maintains that no formal notification or legal documentation was presented at the time of detention. The secrecy surrounding his arrest, denial of legal counsel, and lack of consular access place this case in direct conflict with international legal standards โ particularly for a foreign national entitled to diplomatic protection.
Global Safeguards On Trial
As this case continues to unfold, it spotlights the precarious position faced by individuals who challenge entrenched power structures within complex political landscapes. The confluence of corruption, legal manipulation, and the silencing of whistleblowers is neither new nor unique to any one country. However, the urgency of Mr. Chengโs situation demands prompt global intervention to safeguard his wellbeing and ensure his fundamental legal rights are upheld.
At its core, this is not simply a private crisis for one family; it is a test of whether international diplomatic protections and human rights mechanisms can operate effectively when confronted with politically sensitive cases. As a community-based publication, Friday Club. stands with Stephanie Cheng in amplifying this urgent call for attention โย with the hope that transparency and her fatherโs safety will be preserved.
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