Overview
- An agreement announced Tuesday between Pakistan and Cambodia authorizes the early return of 54 detainees without charges under the new anti-scam law.
- The group was arrested in a raid on a suspected online-scam compound in Siem Reap, according to Pakistan's Foreign Office.
- Pakistan's embassy in Phnom Penh is providing welfare support and arranging flights, with departures set to begin once seats are confirmed.
- News reports say more than 200 Pakistanis remain in Cambodian custody, and one detainee told Geo News that police sought $1,500 for deportation and described harsh jail conditions.
- The decision lands as Amnesty International reports abuse at at least 53 scam sites in Cambodia and as the U.S. Treasury sanctions senator Kok An and his network linked to such compounds.