Amnesty chief: Cambodian state ‘probably complicit’ in scam compounds

Agnes Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International, who is in Bangkok to launch a new report on scamming centres in Cambodia on 29 October 2026, said the Cambodian government had failed to earnestly crack down on dozens of scamming compounds, while five politically connected security guard firms allegedly involved had not faced prosecution by the Cambodian government.

Callamard said at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand on Thursday afternoon that the findings had concluded that the Cambodian state was either “acquiescent” or “probably complicit”.

“The footprint of the Cambodian state is everywhere,” said Callamard. “Cambodia has failed to protect the victims. The security companies have not been touched.”

Callamard said the Cambodian government’s actions had been “clearly, woefully insufficient”.

“We are demanding that the Cambodian government treat the victims as victims and not criminals.”

She also called on the Cambodian government to investigate the role of private security companies and hold individuals accountable.

Callamard, who flew in from London, described human rights violations by scamming centres in Cambodia involving rape, torture, forced labour and slavery. She added that in one case, a female victim was raped three times after failing to deliver the income from her work as a coerced scammer. Some were bought and sold between compounds.

The system of mass exploitation could not function without the security guards, Callamard said. “These are enormous [compounds]. You can’t hide from everyone to see.”

The report is entitled “Official Business: Security Companies and Authorities at Scamming Compounds in Cambodia”.

The 160-page report urged foreign governments and the international community to “press Cambodia to promptly, impartially and independently investigate companies, company leadership and state officials linked to scamming compounds, including through international and domestic mechanisms, rather than measuring progress through raids, arrests or deportations”.

It also suggests a review of law enforcement, military, financial and security cooperation with Cambodian institutions and individuals credibly implicated in enabling or protecting scamming compounds, and to “exercise jurisdiction, including universal or other extraterritorial jurisdiction where available, over groups, companies and people suspected of responsibility for crimes under international law, in the scamming compound industry, and if enough admissible evidence exists, issue arrest warrants”.

When asked by Khaosod English why the report was launched in Bangkok rather than elsewhere, Amnesty International said the decision had nothing to do with the ongoing Thai-Cambodian conflict. The organisation said it could not hold the launch in Phnom Penh and noted that its regional office is based in Bangkok.