Foreign journalists in the media supported by the United States fear being sent to repressive landscapes after Trump cuts

Washington (AP)-After hiding in Thailand for seven years, two Cambodian journalists arrived in the United States last year on work visas, aimed at continuing to provide people in their homeland in Southeast with East with New objectives, fake Via Radio Free Asia.

But Vuthy Tha and Hour Hmm now say that their jobs and their legal status in the United States are in danger after President Donald Trump recently signed an executive decree The American agency managed by the government for the world’s media. The Finance Radio Free Asia agency and other points of sale responsible for providing non -censured information in certain parts of the world under authoritarian domination and often Without a free press of their.

“He fell from the sky,” said Vuthy, a single father of two small children, through a translator of the Trump administration’s decision, who, according to him, threatens to upset his life.

“I am very regretted that our listeners cannot receive specific news,” said Hour, also through a translator.

The two men said they are concerned with supporting their families and being authorized to stay in the United States, they say that it is impossible to return to Cambodia, a single party state Hostile to independent media Where they fear being persecuted for their journalistic work.

The administration was dismantling or cut The size of the federal agencies, leading tens of thousands of officials and entrepreneurs to be dismissed or put on leave. But the Targeting of the American agency for the world mediawhose several decades old networks aim to extend American influence abroad, means that journalists who have challenged authoritarian regimes to help fulfill an American pro-democracy programming mission could be expelled and face harassment and persecution in their country of origin.

Eleven journalists associated with the media funded by the United States is behind bars abroad, including Shin Daewe de RFA, which is serving 15 years in Myanmar to support terrorism.

At least 84 US agency for the world’s media, or USAGM, journalists in the United States on work visas could be expelled, at least 23 “at least at a serious risk of being immediately arrested upon their arrival and potentially imprisoned”, according to journalists from the defense group without borders and a coalition of 36 human rights organizations.

“It is scandalous that these journalists, who risk their lives to expose the extent of the repression in their country of origin, could be completely abandoned,” said Thibaut Bruttin, director general of borders without borders.

“The US Congress must assume the responsibility of protecting these journalists and all the points of sale funded by the USAGM, funded by the Congress itself,” said Bruttin. “This responsibility is not only moral – it stems from the commitment of the United States to defend the principles of democracy and press freedom.”

The senatorial committee for foreign relations and the Chamber’s Foreign Affairs Committee did not respond to requests for comments. The White House did not comment.

The State Department declared that he coordinates with the USAGM on imprisoned journalists and that he condemns the unfair detentions of journalists for having exercised their freedom of expression.

Journalists are continuing Trump’s order

A number of journalists for Voice of America, an information service also supervised by USAGM, have prosecuted in a federal court. This includes two anonymous foreign journalists on temporary visas.

If it is expelled, one could risk the imprisonment of 10 years for his work for VOA, and the other, a member of a minority persecuted in his country of origin, could be in “physical danger”, said the trial.

The court has temporarily interrupted the places of contract, preventing visas holders from being forced to leave for the moment.

RFA and Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, another media funded by USAGM, also continued to find funding.

Trump cuts intervene after the United States last year helped free Asu Kurmasheva – a double American -Russian citizen and journalist with RFE / RL – in a Exchange of high -level prisoners who understood the journalist of the Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich.

In February, the Trump administration announced the release of Andrey KuznechykA Belarusian journalist at the service of the Bélarus de RFE / RL. The network still has four imprisoned journalists – each in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Russia and Crimea occupied by Russia.

Voice of America has a contributor imprisoned in Myanmar and another in Vietnam, said Jessica Jerreat, the editor of VOA press freedom.

In Vietnam, four FRG journalists are in prison and another is under house arrest, according to Tamara Bralo, the head of the journalist’s security. She said she was concerned that American support for their release could decrease if RFA folds up.

Vietnam is classified regularly near the bottom in the press freedom index by journalists without borders, which indicates that around 40 journalists are held in Vietnam prisons where ill -treatment is widespread.

Journalists fear being sent back

Khoa Lai, a Vietnamese journalist who joined RFA in Washington with a working visa just days before Trump took up his duties, said the return to Vietnam was risky for him.

“I could face prosecution or be in prison,” said Lai, who produces video stories about freedom of expression, freedom of religion and political corruption for the Vietnamese RFA service. “I don’t know with certainty, but it will not be good.”

Vuthy and Hour started working for the FRG in Cambodia, but had to leave in 2017 when the Cambodia Court dissolved the main CNRP opposition party, the authorities arrested their colleagues and RFA closed its office.

In neighboring Thailand as a refugee, both continued to introduce themselves to RFA, but with their hidden identity. They have always risked returning to Cambodia until the FRG brought them to the United States on work visas last year. They reported questions ranging from policy, corruption and human rights to climate change and the environment.

Former Autocratic Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Senwho ruled his country for almost four decades and After power to his son Hun ManetHelled Trump in an article on Facebook to “have the courage to lead the world to fight against false news” by reducing funding to USAGM.

Vuthy says he still hopes that RFA could survive, adding that he “fights for his existence”.

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The writers of the Associated Press Kanis Leung in Hong Kong, Sopeng Cheang in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Elsie Chen in Washington contributed to this report.