John,

Five brave youth climate activists are sitting in prison after being sentenced to harsh, many-year sentences last year.

Their “crime”? Defending the forests and rivers of Cambodia. For sounding the alarm about river pollution and land reclamation projects, they’ve been found guilty of “plotting against the government”, separated from their families, and locked away in dangerous conditions hundreds of kilometers from their homes and families.

The government’s intent is clear: silence all dissent. But the fact is these brave activists are not criminals. They are heroes. And right now, they desperately need our support.

The activists are urgently raising funds to appeal their sentences, maximize their chance of early release, and provide humanitarian assistance to their families, most of whom lost their primary income. If enough of us come together right now, we can get them immediate relief – and also build a legal defense fund to protect nature defenders everywhere. Can you chip in now to help?

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These brave young activists are part of Mother Nature Cambodia (MNC) – a fearless, youth-led, women-majority grassroots movement that has defended Cambodia’s environment for over a decade. Their investigations and protests have exposed illegal logging, destructive mining, harmful dams, and foreign overfishing – often forcing destructive projects to be halted.

But with those victories came the spotlight – and a target on their backs.

The five activists were arrested in 2021 and charged with harsh prison sentences, then released on bail in 2021. They were then violently rearrested in 2024, despite having done nothing wrong, and thrown BACK into jail. Earlier this year, Cambodia’s Supreme Court denied their request for bail.

They’re facing this persecution only because they’ve exposed rampant pollution and destruction. But if we rise together, we can show them they are not alone – and give them the tools to fight back.

Movements like MNC are the lifeblood of climate justice. They risk everything to protect our shared planet. The least we can do is make sure they have food, legal defense, and the chance to walk free again.

Will you chip in today to support Cambodia’s unjustly convicted nature defenders and fuel the battle for nature worldwide?

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Your donation will help power Ekō and our campaigns worldwide fighting for people and the planet.