HRF strongly condemns the Cambodian Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the treason convictions and prison sentences of journalists Phorn Sopheap and Pheap Pheara. The harsh sentences mark yet another concerning development for press freedom in the country. HRF calls on Cambodia to drop all charges and immediately release them.
In July 2025, Cambodian journalists Phorn Sopheap and Pheap Pheara were arrested after they were accused of posting photographs on Facebook relating to the border clash between Thailand and Cambodia. Cambodia claimed the photos were taken in a military-restricted zone. The two denied the charges and affirmed that they obtained permission to access the area. The journalists were convicted of treason and sentenced to 14 years in prison for “supplying a foreign state with information prejudicial to national defense.”
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