January 26, 2026 | 10:40 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Four residents of Bengkulu City, Indonesia, are among those seeking protection at the Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, after becoming victims of human trafficking (TPPO) in Cambodia. They have been seeking protection since Saturday, January 24, 2026.
The four men are Ardi, Deni Febriansyah, Imron, and Engga. They fled their workplaces because they were forced to engage in online scams or gambling. If they didn't work, they would be tortured and even electrocuted.
The wives of the four men hope the government will help their husbands return to Indonesia.
Sustri, Imron's wife, explained that Ardi initially invited her husband to work as an electronics marketer in Vietnam. Lured by the potential monthly salary of Rp12 million, Imron agreed to travel with Ardi and their two other friends, Deni and Engga.
"Initially, we lost contact for a few days, then using my husband's company phone, I contacted them to see if they were in Cambodia," Sustri said when met on Sunday afternoon, January 26, 2026.
Sustri explained that before fleeing, her husband had made a video call showing them his office in Cambodia. He was seen in a large room filled with computers.
Most of the online gambling scam workers were Indonesian, including the foreman. "Many of the foremen were Indonesian, and they were abusive. There was also a Chinese man, who seemed to be the boss," Sustri said.
Sustri added that the four victims escaped by renting a car, traveling six hours to the Indonesian Embassy in Cambodia in Phnom Penh.
"Because they had no money, they contacted their wives to transfer the money for the car rental," Sustri said.
The Chairperson of the Indonesian Volunteer Guard (GARIS) Bengkulu Province, Iman SP Noya, who is accompanying the victims' families, said that his organization continues to communicate with the ministry and the Governor of Bengkulu to help expedite the return of the four Bengkulu City residents.
"We have communicated with the ministry and the governor. We hope the four residents of Bengkulu City can be repatriated as soon as possible," said Iman.
He added that the four people were initially offered work as Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI). The victims were issued free passports in Bekasi. After that, they were sent to Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and then Cambodia.
"They were forced into online judo scams. But because most of them didn't understand computers, they were tortured and electrocuted, and even given only one meal a day," he said.
Read: Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh Receives 1,700 Citizens Fleeing Online Scams
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